This is the next in my blog series ‘Great Vegas Fights’. This blog is about Riddick Bowe vs. Evander Holyfield 3, which took place on November 4, 1995.
After winning the second bout with Bowe, Evander Holyfield lost his title to Michael Moorer the following April. He was then diagnosed with having heart trouble, and announced his retirement. Months later it was discovered that he didn’t have heart trouble, but was administered too much morphine for the pain in his shoulder after the Moorer loss. That coupled with the dehydration he suffered during the bout, led to his supposed ‘heart problems’. Cleared to fight, he returned on May 20, 1995 and beat a tough and ready Ray Mercer in Atlantic City. He also put Ray on the canvas for the first time in his career, and showed grit and courage after suffering a bad gash over his eye.
Riddick Bowe returned to ring action in 1994 after losing his belt back to Holyfield in November of 1993, with two lackluster wins over Buster Mathis Jr., and Larry Donald. He followed those fights with two much better performances, a clubbing of Herbie Hide in March of 1995, and a spectacular knockout of Jorge Luis Gonzalez on June 17 at the MGM in Las Vegas, which I saw live at the Grand Garden Arena.
Both Bowe and Holyfield agreed on a third bout, signed for November 4, 1995 at the Outdoor Arena at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. I happened to be at Caesar’s Palace Labor Day weekend that September, and plunked down $800 for a supposed ringside seat for the third in the trilogy between both fighters, the most I ever paid to see any live event in my entire life.
When I went to see the fight live in November, I tried to make some money on the bout by betting on every possible scenario, all in favor of Evander. By the time the opening bell rang that 50 degree night in Vegas, I was as anxious and nervous as I could be.
To my shock and horror, Evander stopped fighting after the second round. I sat in my seat stunned, and wishing I had stayed home. For the next four rounds, Holyfield fought in short spurts, then rested as if he was going to drop dead. He gasped for air in between rounds, and it wasn’t until years later that I found out why. Holyfield had eaten some bad seafood in training, and contracted Hepatitis A, which causes extreme fatigue. His doctors told him to cancel the fight, but he didn’t listen, and it still ticks me off. He should have explained to the promoters he was sick, and they could have rescheduled the thing for after the Christmas holiday.
Needless to say, Holyfield did fight, and despite the fact he knocked Bowe down in the sixth, was dominated and knocked out himself two rounds later. I left the arena sick to my stomach, having lost 4 figures on my wagers, and disgusted over the whole mess. The truth didn’t come out for years, and the public just figured Evander was shot and old. The way he looked from my sight that crappy night in November of 1995, he should have quit.
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