When Evander Holyfield came back after a year’s layoff, and defeated the tough veteran Ray Mercer on May 20, 1995, it set up the groundwork for a third fight with Riddick Bowe. After the impressive knockout of Gonzalez in June, Riddick mentioned Evander in his post fight interview with Larry Merchant, saying “Evander always brings out the best in me, and I’d like to fight him again.”
The third fight in the trilogy was signed for November 4 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and I bought a ticket to see it live. My plan to dig myself out of debt by betting on fights had gone haywire, only because I left my game plan of betting on big favorites. Anyway, I was in Vegas at Labor Day, and after having lost a bundle by betting on Oliver McCall (See what I mean????), I was in a mad mood. To make myself feel better, I saw no problem in plunking down $800 for a ticket to the Bowe-Holyfield in November, and I don’t regret it.
I went to Vegas the first weekend in November, the most beautiful time of year there in my opinion, and figured I’d bet on Evander to win on 4 different proposition wagers. My hopes were that the ‘Real Deal’ could reel me in 4 figures in cash if he came through, so I felt optimistic as I made my way to my seat at the outdoor arena at Caesar’s Palace. When I arrived at my seat, I realized it was behind press row, so my $800 ticket was hardly ringside at all.
In the opening round Evander boxed well, at at 213 lbs., looked great as always. Unbelievably by the second round, he looked exhausted. Watching in person, my heart was in my mouth knowing all the money I had wagered. Holyfield did look a little better in spurts, but I knew in my heart something was wrong with him.
Out of nowhere, Evander landing a quick left hook that dropped Bowe in the sixth round. I leapt to my feet in excitement, but Evander did nothing to try and finish a hurt and vulnerable Bowe. I collapsed to my seat in disappointment, and it turned out I had every reason to.
Bowe went on the offensive in the seventh, and in the eighth put Evander down twice, ending the night. I was sick to my stomach as soon as it ended and left my seat to wander the casino in disgust.
What a disaster the night had been, losing all 4 prop bets I had placed on Holyfield. I couldn’t believe Evander had fought like an 80 year old man, and rumors that his heart problems had resurfaced filled the air and newspapers. All I knew was that the trip was depressing, and the flight home was a long one.
It wasn’t until years later I learned that Evander had contracted Hepatitis A from eating bad seafood prior to the bout, and fatigue was the major symptom of it. I wish he would have postponed the whole thing, but in my mind stupidly fought anyway. It didn’t matter by the time I found out, so at that point who cared.
Bowe had gotten the best of the trilogy with Holyfield, winning two of the three times they met. No one could have ever believed how little was left in his boxing life, and that 1996 would be the last one of his career.
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