NOVEMBER ’96 WAS THE MONTH OF UPSETS
Evander Holyfield
San Francisco, CA– Today, I look back on one of the most memorable times in boxing history, I’m talking about November 1996. It started with Evander Holyfield going to 33-2, 23 KOs, with his manhandling of Mike Tyson (45-2, 39 KOs), this before stopping him in round 11 on November 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Two weeks later, Junior “Poison” Jones (43-2, 27 KOs) belts the previously unbeaten Mexican icon Marco Antonio Barrera (43-1, 31 KOs) with an inside the distance win. Completing the “hat trick” of upsets, 1984 Olympic Silver medalist Virgil Hill, then 32 years old (43-1, 20 KOs) goes to Munich, Germany and dethrones undefeated IBF 175 lb. kingpin Henry Maske (30-1, 11 KOs).
DON KING’S PAYROLL FOR HOLYFIELD-TYSON I CARD
Some statistics for that grand night at the MGM Grand were the checks promoter Don King paid out. Tyson received $30 million, Holyfield got $11 million. Underneath the “non-bite” fight, Michael Moorer got $2 million for besting South African foe Frans Botha, who was paid $1 million. African Henry Akinwande grossed $250,000 for defeating Russian Alex Zolkin, who would get $200,000.
GREATEST BOXER OF ERA GOT ONLY $50 GRAND?
Ricardo Lopez
Some of you might remember how I exposed how Top Rank was avoiding the IRS by paying Mexican “Yory Boy” Campas “under the Mexican table,” meaning cash payoffs occurring south of the border. I’m hoping Don King was doing this with Ricardo Lopez, who according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, received only $50,000, while Christy Martin got a check for $75,000.
LOU DUVA INTERVIEWED ONE HOUR AFTER EVANDER MELTS DOWN TYSON
Ring Talk-Why were you so confident that Evander would win the fight? Lou Duva-Five years ago…make that more than five years ago, I said Evander would knock out Mike Tyson. I knew it, then Tyson got upset in Tokyo, then he went to jail. When we were talking about the fight, I told (son) Dino (Duva) to go and make the fight.
RT-What was the key to Evander’s win tonight? LD– Evander’s mental toughness. Tyson could not break him down psychologically.
RT-Were you surprised Mike was sucking wind in the second round? LD-Pedro, that’s his fault. He probably took Evander a little light. But remember Tyson’s biggest attribute is punching power, but he can’t fight. Nobody ever said he was a fighter. He’s a great puncher, not a boxer. That’s why I told Evander just before he left the dressing room to remember the basics. Hit him with a fast jab, a fast right hand, and turn him. But make sure you got the last punch in. When he fires back at you, drop down and get that last punch in. I think this is what Tyson found so amazing, that Holyfield was taking all he had and that he kept firing back.
Lou Duva
RT-What do you think your late son Danny (Duva) would be saying right now? (Promoter Dan Duva, Lou’s eldest son and the man who promoted the first home Pay Per View card in history, Ray Leonard-Tommy Hearns I in 1981, had died in january 1996 at the age of 44 after battling Brain Cancer) LD– Danny’s smiling right now. He knew Evander could beat this guy. I miss my son, but I’m sure he’s smiling right now.
Pedro Fernandez