Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,191, the guys welcome in guest Michael Rosenthal from Boxing Junkie to discuss the upcoming Triller Fight Club event with [autotag]Evander Holyfield[/autotag] vs. to face [autotag]Vitor Belfort[/autotag] and Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz. They also discuss the latest Dana White’s Contender Series results. Tune in!
Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.
Evander Holyfield opens up about his return to boxing competition ahead of Vitor Belfort bout.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – [autotag]Evander Holyfield[/autotag] will step in the ring this Saturday while being a little over a year away from his 60th birthday.
The multiple-time boxing heavyweight champion returns to action this Saturday, Sept. 11 against former UFC champion Vitor Belfort in the main event of Triller Fight Club Legends II. The fight goes down at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Holyfield is coming back after a decade away from the sport. He walked away from boxing on a win back in 2011. He was 48. And although Holyfield appears to be in great physical shape, many online have concerns about a return to competition at this stage of his life.
Holyfield said he’s taken care of his health and believes this return could show younger fighters the importance of self-care.
“Well, the thing is that I’ve been in good shape and I’ve been taking care of my body,” Holyfield told MMA Junkie. “I didn’t have a lot of bad habits that a lot of people have and that’s a big part of it. Talking to the younger people, you take care of yourself while you’re young and when you get older still take care of yourself. If you take care of yourself on both sides you’ll be alright.”
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Holyfield takes on Belfort on short notice, as he replaced Oscar De La Hoya, who had to withdraw from the Belfort bout after getting hospitalized from COVID-19.
“The Real Deal” is unsure if this fight will be his last, but will treat it as such.
“This is like a one-off because after every fight I’m like, ‘I don’t know,'” Holyfield said. “After each and every fight you have to make a decision: Are you going to do it again or not?’ At any given time if I decided I don’t want to do it no more, it’s O.K.”
Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort receives the green light from the Florida Athletic Commission.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – [autotag]Evander Holyfield[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vitor Belfort[/autotag] has received the green light.
The heavyweight boxing matchup that’s set to headline Triller Fight Club Legends II even this Saturday has been approved as a fully regulated professional boxing match by the Florida Athletic Commission.
The news was first reported by ESPN and later officially announced by the promotion.
Holyfield vs. Belfort goes down on Sept. 11 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The card, which features Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz in the co-main event, streams on pay-per-view.
Below is a statement released by Patrick Cunningham, Executive Director of the Florida State Boxing Commission:
The Florida Athletic Commission has approved the EVANDER HOLYFIELD vs. VITOR BELFORT bout as a fully regulated professional boxing match. It will be conducted under the Unified Rules of Boxing and scored by three judges on the 10-point must system.
All boxers on this card have successfully met all requirements to be licensed by the Florida Athletic Commission.
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Holyfield hasn’t fought in a decade. The last time he competed was at age 48 when he defeated Brian Nielsen via TKO. The former multiple-time boxing heavyweight champion is a little over a year away from his 60th birthday.
Holyfield took the fight on short notice, replacing Oscar De La Hoya who was forced out of the bout with Belfort after getting hospitalized from COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Belfort, 44, returns to competition for the first time since his TKO loss to Lyoto Machida in May 2018 under MMA. Belfort has only competed once in professional boxing having defeated Josemario Neves in 2006.
When I watched the video of Evander Holyfield you see above, I thought of film of Muhammad Ali training for his ill-fated fight against Larry Holmes in 1980 (see below).
In retrospect, we can see that Ali’s slow, awkward movement should’ve been a red flag. He had deteriorated by the age of 38 to a point where he had no business in the ring with an elite, young heavyweight like Holmes.
Holyfield, 58, doesn’t look much better than Ali in his short training video. His punches seem to have some pop when they land but he looks sluggish. His body doesn’t seem as willing – or able — as it once was to follow instructions from his brain.
In other words, he looks his age.
A part of me thinks it’s nothing to worry about as he prepares to face 44-year-old Vitor Belfort on pay-per-view Saturday in Hollywood, Florida. I’m thinking, “He’s just going through the motions for the camera. He looks fit. He knows what he’s doing, even as he approaches his 59th birthday next month.”
My immediate thought when I heard last week that Holyfield would replace COVID-stricken Oscar De La Hoya as Belfort’s opponent in the eight-round fight was that this is a terrible matchup. Evander Holyfield could beat a former MMA champion with almost no boxing experience at 68.
I still believe that. I think Holyfield’s muscle memory alone will be enough to take down Belfort.
At the same time, my mind keeps going back to the hard-to-watch film of Ali and the beating he took from Holmes, who won by knockout after 10 rounds. Those close to Ali and boxing officials should never have let it happen. I’ll always wonder how much that fight and his career finale against Trevor Berbick contributed to his subsequent health issues.
Should the video of Holyfield also be a red flag?
Mike Tyson, Holyfield’s old rival, looked ferocious hitting the mitts in workout videos before his exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. last November. Ferocious is the last word I’d use to describe what we saw from Holyfield, who last fought in 2011.
“The Real Deal” looked good against 45-year-old Brian Nielsen in that fight, winning by a 10th-round stoppage. That was Nielsen, though. And Holyfield was 48, not 58 and coming off a decade-long layoff. This is largely uncharted territory, although a few boxers have fought at around the same age.
I still believe Holyfield will be fine. The fact he’s fighting a boxing novice who also is no youngster should be enough to keep him safe. Plus, the full-fledged heavyweight should have a significant size advantage. Belfort was preparing to fight De La Hoya at a weight limit of 185 pounds, meaning he’ll probably come in around 200.
And I wouldn’t be surprised to hear one day Holyfield and Belfort made a back-room deal – or perhaps shared a wink – to hold back once they’re face to face in the ring. That’s why I think the fight might go the eight-round distance.
I could be wrong, though. And that’s scary.
Remember: The fight was moved by Triller Fight Club from Los Angeles to Florida because the California State Athletic Commission refused to sanction it, which says something about the potential danger Holyfield faces.
Holyfield might not be able to handle the speed and reflexes of a man 14 years his junior, even one with crude boxing skills. He might look something like Ali did against Holmes. And that might have a deleterious effect on his long term health, at least to some degree.
The last thing we want to see is a boxing legend — a four-time heavyweight champion — who is almost 60 take a beating. If he does, we might look back at his training video as one foreboding sign and think, “We should never have let it happen.”
When I watched the video of Evander Holyfield you see above, I thought of film of Muhammad Ali training for his ill-fated fight against Larry Holmes in 1980 (see below).
In retrospect, we can see that Ali’s slow, awkward movement should’ve been a red flag. He had deteriorated by the age of 38 to a point where he had no business in the ring with an elite, young heavyweight like Holmes.
Holyfield, 58, doesn’t look much better than Ali in his short training video. His punches seem to have some pop when they land but he looks sluggish. His body doesn’t seem as willing – or able — as it once was to follow instructions from his brain.
In other words, he looks his age.
A part of me thinks it’s nothing to worry about as he prepares to face 44-year-old Vitor Belfort on pay-per-view Saturday in Hollywood, Florida. I’m thinking, “He’s just going through the motions for the camera. He looks fit. He knows what he’s doing, even as he approaches his 59th birthday next month.”
My immediate thought when I heard last week that Holyfield would replace COVID-stricken Oscar De La Hoya as Belfort’s opponent in the eight-round fight was that this is a terrible matchup. Evander Holyfield could beat a former MMA champion with almost no boxing experience at 68.
I still believe that. I think Holyfield’s muscle memory alone will be enough to take down Belfort.
At the same time, my mind keeps going back to the hard-to-watch film of Ali and the beating he took from Holmes, who won by knockout after 10 rounds. Those close to Ali and boxing officials should never have let it happen. I’ll always wonder how much that fight and his career finale against Trevor Berbick contributed to his subsequent health issues.
Should the video of Holyfield also be a red flag?
Mike Tyson, Holyfield’s old rival, looked ferocious hitting the mitts in workout videos before his exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. last November. Ferocious is the last word I’d use to describe what we saw from Holyfield, who last fought in 2011.
“The Real Deal” looked good against 45-year-old Brian Nielsen in that fight, winning by a 10th-round stoppage. That was Nielsen, though. And Holyfield was 48, not 58 and coming off a decade-long layoff. This is largely uncharted territory, although a few boxers have fought at around the same age.
I still believe Holyfield will be fine. The fact he’s fighting a boxing novice who also is no youngster should be enough to keep him safe. Plus, the full-fledged heavyweight should have a significant size advantage. Belfort was preparing to fight De La Hoya at a weight limit of 185 pounds, meaning he’ll probably come in around 200.
And I wouldn’t be surprised to hear one day Holyfield and Belfort made a back-room deal – or perhaps shared a wink – to hold back once they’re face to face in the ring. That’s why I think the fight might go the eight-round distance.
I could be wrong, though. And that’s scary.
Remember: The fight was moved by Triller Fight Club from Los Angeles to Florida because the California State Athletic Commission refused to sanction it, which says something about the potential danger Holyfield faces.
Holyfield might not be able to handle the speed and reflexes of a man 14 years his junior, even one with crude boxing skills. He might look something like Ali did against Holmes. And that might have a deleterious effect on his long term health, at least to some degree.
The last thing we want to see is a boxing legend — a four-time heavyweight champion — who is almost 60 take a beating. If he does, we might look back at his training video as one foreboding sign and think, “We should never have let it happen.”
Watch Evander Holyfield workout in front of the media ahead of his boxing bout against Vitor Belfort on Sept. 11.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Watch [autotag]Evander Holyfield[/autotag] workout in front of the media ahead of his boxing bout against Vitor Belfort.
The former heavyweight boxing champion laced up and hit pads at Wednesday’s open workouts at the Heavyweight Factory in South Florida.
Holyfield takes on Belfort in a professional heavyweight boxing bout in the main event of Triller Fight Club Legends II on Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
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The 58-year-old stepped in as a late replacement, filling in for Oscar De La Hoya who tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to pull out of the fight against Belfort. The fight was originally scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, but it was moved to Florida after De La Hoya tested positive for COVID-19 and was replaced by Holyfield.
This is the first time Holyfield will compete in 10 years. The last time he fought was in 2011 when he defeated Brian Nielsen via TKO.
Watch Holyfield’s open workout in the video above.
Donald Trump will do commentary during the Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort telecast on Saturday.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on MMAJunkie.com.
***
This is not fake news: President Donald Trump will be in the commentary booth for the fight between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort on Saturday.
In a surprise announcement made Tuesday, a press release confirmed Trump, the 45th President of the United States, will be involved in the pay-per-view broadcast on FiteTV from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino & Resort in Hollywood, Fla.
According to Triller Fight Club, the promoter, Trump will “host and commentate” the boxing event, which will see boxing legend Holyfield come out of retirement to compete for the first time since 2011 when he takes on former UFC champion Vitor Belfort in an eight-round boxing match. Holyfield stepped in as a replacement when Oscar De La Hoya withdrew because of a positive COVID-19 test.
“I love great fighters and great fights,” Trump said in the release. “I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won’t want to miss this special event.”
The Triller Fight Club pay-per-view begins at 7:00 p.m. ET and is priced $49.99. UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz will box former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the co-main event.
Trump has long had a connection to combat sports stemming back to when he hosted early UFC events at his casinos in Atlantic City, N.J. During his presidency, Trump’s crossover with the UFC brand and company president Dana White was unmistakable. White threw his unmistakable support behind Trump’s push for a second term in office, which did not come to fruition.
Donald Trump will do commentary during the Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort telecast on Saturday.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on MMAJunkie.com.
***
This is not fake news: President Donald Trump will be in the commentary booth for the fight between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort on Saturday.
In a surprise announcement made Tuesday, a press release confirmed Trump, the 45th President of the United States, will be involved in the pay-per-view broadcast on FiteTV from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino & Resort in Hollywood, Fla.
According to Triller Fight Club, the promoter, Trump will “host and commentate” the boxing event, which will see boxing legend Holyfield come out of retirement to compete for the first time since 2011 when he takes on former UFC champion Vitor Belfort in an eight-round boxing match. Holyfield stepped in as a replacement when Oscar De La Hoya withdrew because of a positive COVID-19 test.
“I love great fighters and great fights,” Trump said in the release. “I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won’t want to miss this special event.”
The Triller Fight Club pay-per-view begins at 7:00 p.m. ET and is priced $49.99. UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz will box former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the co-main event.
Trump has long had a connection to combat sports stemming back to when he hosted early UFC events at his casinos in Atlantic City, N.J. During his presidency, Trump’s crossover with the UFC brand and company president Dana White was unmistakable. White threw his unmistakable support behind Trump’s push for a second term in office, which did not come to fruition.
Also on the card: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, junior lightweights; Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, junior lightweights (for Nakatani’s WBO title)
Prediction: Valdez KO 8
Background: Valdez’s reputation soared and was floored within a seven-month span. The hard-punching Mexican recorded a career-defining victory by stopping Miguel Berchelt to win a 130-pound belt in February only to test positive for a banned substance in the week before his first defense, although he was placed on probation and allowed to defend his belt. Valdez denies he knowingly used a PED. The former featherweight champ reached new heights by putting his respected countryman Berchelt down three times and stopping him in Round 10 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, after which he climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. Then, last Tuesday, we learned that he tested positive for the weight-loss medication phentermine, which is banned by the drug-testing outlet to which the fighters agreed, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Phentermine is also a stimulant that can enhance endurance. The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Athletic Commission, which is overseeing the card, allowed the fight to go on because it adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. WADA bans the drug only when it’s detected closer to the competition. And the WBC decided probation was sufficient. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, has vast amateur experience but has faced no one near Valdez’s status as a professional. He has taken part in only three scheduled 10-rounders.
Odds: Holyfield 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Andy Vences vs. Jono Carroll, junior lightweights; Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz, cruiserweights
Prediction: Holyfield KO 7
Background: Oscar De La Hoya, 48, was scheduled to fight Vitor Belfort in Los Angeles but had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19. In stepped 58-year-old former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, who has been angling for a comeback fight over the past few years and was targeted by Belfort. Holyfield last fought in May 2011, when he stopped Brian Nielsen in 10 rounds. He was always known for his fitness but there is no telling how a man nearing his 59th birthday will perform in the ring, even one of the best fighters of his generation. That said, he’ll have a distinct advantage over Belfort in terms of experience. The 44-year-old former UFC champion has taken part in one boxing match, a first-round knockout in 2006. And Holyfield presumably will be significant bigger than Belfort. Holyfield weighed 226 for the Nielsen fight. Belfort and De La Hoya had agreed to a 185-pound weight limit, although Belfort probably will come in well over 185 without restrictions. The fight was moved to Florida after California authorities refused to sanction the bout.
***
Also fighting this weekend: Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Petar Milas (15-0, 11 KOs) on Friday in Paris (ESPN+); Filip Hrgovic (12-0, 10 KOs) takes on Marko Radonjic (22-0, 22 KOs) in a heavyweight bout Friday in Klagenfurt, Austria (DAZN); Kerman Lejarraga (32-2, 25 KOs) vs. Dylan Charrat (20-0-1, 6 KOs) face off in a junior middleweight bout Saturday in Barcelona, Spain (DAZN); and Roxie Lam (7-4, 4 KOs) faces Carietto Santoro (5-0, 1 KO) in a featherweight bout Saturday in Grand Prarie, Canada (FITE).
Also on the card: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, junior lightweights; Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, junior lightweights (for Nakatani’s WBO title)
Prediction: Valdez KO 8
Background: Valdez’s reputation soared and was floored within a seven-month span. The hard-punching Mexican recorded a career-defining victory by stopping Miguel Berchelt to win a 130-pound belt in February only to test positive for a banned substance in the week before his first defense, although he was placed on probation and allowed to defend his belt. Valdez denies he knowingly used a PED. The former featherweight champ reached new heights by putting his respected countryman Berchelt down three times and stopping him in Round 10 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, after which he climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. Then, last Tuesday, we learned that he tested positive for the weight-loss medication phentermine, which is banned by the drug-testing outlet to which the fighters agreed, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Phentermine is also a stimulant that can enhance endurance. The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Athletic Commission, which is overseeing the card, allowed the fight to go on because it adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. WADA bans the drug only when it’s detected closer to the competition. And the WBC decided probation was sufficient. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, has vast amateur experience but has faced no one near Valdez’s status as a professional. He has taken part in only three scheduled 10-rounders.
Odds: Holyfield 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Andy Vences vs. Jono Carroll, junior lightweights; Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz, cruiserweights
Prediction: Holyfield KO 7
Background: Oscar De La Hoya, 48, was scheduled to fight Vitor Belfort in Los Angeles but had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19. In stepped 58-year-old former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, who has been angling for a comeback fight over the past few years and was targeted by Belfort. Holyfield last fought in May 2011, when he stopped Brian Nielsen in 10 rounds. He was always known for his fitness but there is no telling how a man nearing his 59th birthday will perform in the ring, even one of the best fighters of his generation. That said, he’ll have a distinct advantage over Belfort in terms of experience. The 44-year-old former UFC champion has taken part in one boxing match, a first-round knockout in 2006. And Holyfield presumably will be significant bigger than Belfort. Holyfield weighed 226 for the Nielsen fight. Belfort and De La Hoya had agreed to a 185-pound weight limit, although Belfort probably will come in well over 185 without restrictions. The fight was moved to Florida after California authorities refused to sanction the bout.
***
Also fighting this weekend: Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Petar Milas (15-0, 11 KOs) on Friday in Paris (ESPN+); Filip Hrgovic (12-0, 10 KOs) takes on Marko Radonjic (22-0, 22 KOs) in a heavyweight bout Friday in Klagenfurt, Austria (DAZN); Kerman Lejarraga (32-2, 25 KOs) vs. Dylan Charrat (20-0-1, 6 KOs) face off in a junior middleweight bout Saturday in Barcelona, Spain (DAZN); and Roxie Lam (7-4, 4 KOs) faces Carietto Santoro (5-0, 1 KO) in a featherweight bout Saturday in Grand Prarie, Canada (FITE).
