Holyfield-Valuev Round By Round

December 21st, 2008

By Scoop Malinowski

It’s a privilege to see The Warrior, let me re-phrase that, The Ultimate Warrior, with his game face on inside the ring moments before another world heavyweight championship duel. Evander Holyfield is a living legend and one of the greatest champs in history. Here we go…

Round 1: Nothing happened. Crowd in Zurich Switzerland begins “Holyfield! Holyfield!” chant. That was the highlight of the round. Even.

Round 2: Holyfield lands two vintage left hooks and a right to provoke a roar from the crowd. Valuev lands two harmess paw jabs to the body. Holy 10-9.

Round 3: “Holyfield!” chants continue. It’s amazing how Holyfield can still move and flow almost like he did at the age of 30 which was 16 years ago vs. Riddick Bowe in 1992. Valuev is missing with jabs. Holy’s movement and angles are confusing the giant from being able to set to land the jab. Holy’s bounce in his step is still there. Holy 10-9. I wonder what Howard Cosell would say if he were commentating?

Round 4: Valuev could get a job as a statue someday. He’s barely doing anything but watching Holyfield and poking out a few feeble jabs. Holy 10-9.

Round 5: Every round is the same thing, Valuev unable to do anything noteworthy and Holyfield executing a perfect game-plan of constant movement, angles and just enough punch output to take these rounds. It ain’t pretty but it’s enough to win these rounds. Holy 10-9.

Round 6: Valuev should retire or go to pro wrestling. He can not get any better than this. They keep telling us he’s working hard in the gym and improving but it’s bull jive. Where’s Don King? Looks like the world’s greatest promoter had better things to do today. Hey there’s Sandy Mayer-Wolden at ringside, she’s the stunner who was Boris Becker’s fiancee till a break-up earlier this year. Holy 10-9.

Round 7: Valuev vs. Yao Ming or Shaq might be a better fight than this for Valuev who is out of his league. Maybe Sauerland will read this and go the circus fight route in ’09. He sure as heck won’t ever sacrifice this giant to a Klitschko, I guarantee you that. Holy 10-9.

Round 8: Holyfield has this fight won. Valuev has nothing to change the ebb and flow which is basically at a standstill, save for Holyfield’s occasional forward assaults.

Round 9: “Holyfield!” chants resume! The audience knows who is winning and is celebrating the upset that is happening before their eyes. But will the judges spoil the night?

Round 10: Every round is the same.

Round 11: Ditto.

Round 12: “Holyfield!” chants. There is no way Holyfield did not win this fight. But something inside me knows there will not be justice.

At the bell Valuev raises his glove. They embrace. Good sportsmanship. Holyfield is not even huffing or puffing. Holyfield raises his hand, the same matter of fact way he always does, like the night be stopped Tyson. Tommy Brooks and Tim Hallmark are still with Holyfield, they’ve been with him for a looooong time. They’re showing Wilfried Sauerland the promoter. He has a strange look on his face. Michael Buffer announces a majority decision win for…yep, you knew it, Valuev.

What can you say? There’s nothing to say. Except wonder, how much longer, how many more fights will they keep this charade going?

Hat’s off to Evander Holyfield, who made history tonight by winning the WBA world heavyweight title no matter what the judges said. It was a privilege to watch one of the greatest heavyweight champs there ever was, do his thing one more time.