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Evander Holyfield wanted to retire back on top. The New York State Athletic Commission apparently had other ideas.
According to a report in the New York Daily News, the NYSAC has placed the 42-year-old Holyfield on an indefinite medical suspension based on his poor performance against Larry Donald Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Holyfield, who dropped a unanimous 12-round decision to Donald, will have to be cleared by Dr. Barry Jordan of the New York commission before he can box anywhere else in the United States. All other state commissions will honor New York's suspension.
Despite the suspension, Holyfield plans to continue boxing.
"Why do they want to usher me out?" Holyfield told the newspaper from his home in Atlanta. "What have I done to this game that they don't want me in it anymore? Do you really care about a person so much that you want to protect him from himself?"
A former undisputed heavyweight champion, Holyfield is 38-8-2 with 25 knockouts over a career that has spanned 20 years. He has gone just 2-5-2 over his last nine bouts, however, with one of those wins coming via technical knockout after an accidental head butt rendered Hasim Rahman unable to continue.
NYSAC chairman Ron Stevens also suspended John Ruiz's manager Norman Stone 60 days and fined him $1,000 for verbally abusing referee Randy Neumann during Ruiz's 12-round triumph over Andrew Golota on Saturday. Ruiz retained his WBA heavyweight title with the victory.
Source: AP
According to a report in the New York Daily News, the NYSAC has placed the 42-year-old Holyfield on an indefinite medical suspension based on his poor performance against Larry Donald Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Holyfield, who dropped a unanimous 12-round decision to Donald, will have to be cleared by Dr. Barry Jordan of the New York commission before he can box anywhere else in the United States. All other state commissions will honor New York's suspension.
Despite the suspension, Holyfield plans to continue boxing.
"Why do they want to usher me out?" Holyfield told the newspaper from his home in Atlanta. "What have I done to this game that they don't want me in it anymore? Do you really care about a person so much that you want to protect him from himself?"
A former undisputed heavyweight champion, Holyfield is 38-8-2 with 25 knockouts over a career that has spanned 20 years. He has gone just 2-5-2 over his last nine bouts, however, with one of those wins coming via technical knockout after an accidental head butt rendered Hasim Rahman unable to continue.
NYSAC chairman Ron Stevens also suspended John Ruiz's manager Norman Stone 60 days and fined him $1,000 for verbally abusing referee Randy Neumann during Ruiz's 12-round triumph over Andrew Golota on Saturday. Ruiz retained his WBA heavyweight title with the victory.
Source: AP