Brian in Mesa

Holyfield placed on suspension

NEW YORK - Evander Holyfield doesn’t play for a team, but the former heavyweight champion has been benched by the New York State Athletic Commission following his terrible performance against Larry Donald at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.

Ron Stevens, NYSAC chairman, said Holyfield has been placed on an indefinite medical suspension based on his poor performance. That means the 42-year-old Holyfield will have to be cleared by Dr. Barry Jordan of the New York commission before he can get into the ring anywhere else in the U.S. All the other state commissions will honor New York’s suspension.

Stevens also suspended Norman Stone, John Ruiz’s manager, for 60 days and fined him $1,000 for verbally abusing referee Randy Neumann during the bout between Ruiz and Andrew Golota Saturday night. Stone was ejected from the corner after the eighth round. Stevens said Stone had apologized to Neumann and the commission for his behavior and said he will not appeal the suspension and will pay the fine.

Holyfield, reached at his home in Atlanta, said he doesn’t agree with the suspension and plans to continue boxing. He said he and his representative will fight the ban. He said the NYSAC was perpetuating a "conspiracy" to get him out of boxing. "Why do they want to usher me out? What have I done to this game that they don’t want me in it anymore?" Holyfield said. "Do you really care about a person so much that you want to protect him from himself? Ain’t that much love in the world to go against a person’s will."

Holyfield lost a unanimous 12-round decision to Donald in a match where he won just one round on two of the judges’ scorecards and two on the other’s. According to CompuBox punch statistics, Holyfield landed just 78 punches, an average of 6.5 punches per round, over the course of the match. He blamed his bad performance on back spasms that hit him in the first round.

"I’m not looking to end his career if it’s not warranted, but the health and safety of the boxer is the main concern of the state commission," Stevens said. "To my practiced mind, Holyfield shouldn’t be fighting anymore. It’s the responsibility of the state athletic commission to save a boxer from himself. Evander Holyfield has absorbed enough punishment throughout his great career. It’s time the bleeding stopped."

Holyfield (38-8-2, 25 KOs) is 2-5-2 in his last nine bouts. One of his two victories was a technical decision against Hasim Rahman after an accidental head butt raised a grotesque swelling on Rahman’s head and the bout had to be stopped in the eighth round. Holyfield was ahead on the scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

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HONEY BADGER DON'T CARE

SunCardfan

Holyfield has really gone downhill..he has trouble speaking now. I think sometimes they get hit too many times and it screws up their though processes enough to where they don't even know they are hurting themselves...

CaptTurbo

Its sad but needs to be done.

Beaver

2-5-2 in his last nine bouts= needs to retire.

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You can't climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.