Tag: Evander Holyfield

Vitor Belfort Blasts Critics Of Evander Holyfield Boxing Match

Former UFC Champion Vitor Belfort fired back at people who were quick to criticize his boxing match with all-time great Evander Holyfield. The Triller event was heavily criticized by analysts and pundits across the sport as well as current and former fighters. Holyfield was finished in the first round by Belfort with strikes and plenty […]

Former UFC Champion Vitor Belfort fired back at people who were quick to criticize his boxing match with all-time great Evander Holyfield. The Triller event was heavily criticized by analysts and pundits across the sport as well as current and former fighters.

Holyfield was finished in the first round by Belfort with strikes and plenty of people were critical of the sanctioning of a 58 year old Holyfield getting in the ring with someone of Belfort’s stature.

Belfort spoke to AG Fight in a recent interview, where he blasted the critics of the fight.

“He (Holyfield) tried to rip my head off, he knocked himself out at one point and got such a cross that he fell to the canvas by himself. If I don’t dodge my head would be rolling on the floor. Then people criticize that I was very, very roasted. I’m not worried about that. I beat the most powerful heavyweight in history, who beat Mike Tyson. Unfortunately, the ‘haters’ will be there to criticize you. If I fight a guy over 50 is it worth it? If I win they will criticize. The animal was too strong, he is a horse and he was boxing well and I was very precise. Nobody talks about my accuracy, how good I was. They talk about how bad he was. He wasn’t bad, I demolished him,” Belfort said.

“I was cautious, I started slowly, but when he came up with it, I had my time. When you smell blood, it’s time to hunt. It would be unnecessary (if the referee lets it go on longer), given his age. He took a lot of uppercut blow to the chin. The first one got really strong. Then there were other blows. But as many people think they are the other’s head, so let it die. It’s part of it.”

While Belfort has a good point, the critics of the Triller event and a fight with a 58 year old Holyfield were rightly justified as he looked old and slow, and someone that already has had significant damage to the head in his career.

What do you think of Vitor Belfort’s comments? Did you think this fight should’ve happened?

Triller Defends Belfort vs. Holyfield, Expects Holyfield To Box Again

Triller CEO, Ryan Kavanaugh has no problem with his fight booking of Vitor Belfort vs. Evander Holyfield despite the result. Holyfield stepped up on short notice and throughout fight week many began to get worried for the 58-year-old due to his open workout and his interviews. Then, in the fight, Belfort blitzed Holyfield and rocked […]

Continue Reading Triller Defends Belfort vs. Holyfield, Expects Holyfield To Box Again at MMA News.

Triller CEO, Ryan Kavanaugh has no problem with his fight booking of Vitor Belfort vs. Evander Holyfield despite the result.

Holyfield stepped up on short notice and throughout fight week many began to get worried for the 58-year-old due to his open workout and his interviews. Then, in the fight, Belfort blitzed Holyfield and rocked him several times, and even dropped him once before the ref stopped the fight. The fight was a complete beatdown, but for Kavanaugh:

“If you talk to Holyfield, what the world perceived happened didn’t happen. Vitor apparently stepped on his foot — which I haven’t seen the footage yet — which made him trip, and that’s why it looked like he fell. He swung really hard, which we all know he did. And that was the knockout swing,” Kavanaugh said on MMAFighting’s MMA Hour (via BloodyElbow). “Had he connected with Vitor, Vitor would probably still be in the hospital today. And missed, which put him into the ropes because he swung so hard. And Vitor came back aggressively. But Holyfield is notoriously a slow starter. As he said, his strategy is ‘Let me get hit, let me feel how he punches, and then I’ll come out with my returns.’ The stoppage, in his opinion, was the problem, because he’s like ‘I would’ve come back, and I knew what I was doing.’”

After Triller’s event ended, many fans and media made it clear they didn’t think Evander Holyfield should box again. However, for Ryan Kavanaugh, he says the former heavyweight champ will likely box again and they are looking at better-suited opponents for him for his next bout.

“I think Holyfield will end up fighting someone hopefully people see is better-suited (for him), whether it’s Tyson or someone like that.”

As for Vitor Belfort, Kavanaugh revealed Triller is looking to rebook the original fight of Belfort vs. Oscar De La Hoya for Thanksgiving weekend.

Do you want to see Evander Holyfield box again?

Continue Reading Triller Defends Belfort vs. Holyfield, Expects Holyfield To Box Again at MMA News.

Vitor Belfort Shares The Consequences If Paul Rejects Fight Offer

Vitor Belfort is making it known that he wants a fight with Jake Paul next or else. Vitor Belfort is coming off his exhibition bout win over Evander Holyfield and he is already looking ahead to his next match. Belfort wants a fight with Jake Paul and he is willing to resort to threats to […]

Continue Reading Vitor Belfort Shares The Consequences If Paul Rejects Fight Offer at MMA News.

Vitor Belfort is making it known that he wants a fight with Jake Paul next or else.

Vitor Belfort is coming off his exhibition bout win over Evander Holyfield and he is already looking ahead to his next match. Belfort wants a fight with Jake Paul and he is willing to resort to threats to get it done. Although he not threatening Paul with violence, instead he is threatening to make a YouTube channel. Paul is a notable YouTube celebrity who made the transition to boxing. Belfort, although new to boxing, had a long career in MMA, however, is he really suited for YouTube?

“Jake Paul, he deserves it,” Belfort said in his post-fight press conference (via MMAMania.com). “He’s choosing his opponents, he’s working with a guy [Nakisa Bidarian] who used to work with Lorenzo [Fertitta], our ex-owner. He’s picking his fights. Now he cannot say no to me. He gotta say yes. We gotta teach him a lesson. If he says no, all his little fans, they gonna come — I’m gonna create a YouTube channel and they’re gonna have to come follow me. I’m gonna create a YouTube channel and I have three amazing athletes in my house and we’re gonna entertain all his fans. Because he doesn’t have morals, he doesn’t have family values. He doesn’t represent the fighters.”

Belfort’s win over Holyfield does put him in a good position to receive another fight under the Triller umbrella. However, a fight with Paul seems unlikely at this time. Paul has suggested that he may be done challenging MMA fighters altogether. Holyfield was stepping into this fight as a replacement for Oscar De La Hoya, whom Belfort should have been fighting. His next bout could easily be the one with De La Hoya.

Despite multiple possibilities in boxing at this time, Belfort seems stuck on wanting Paul. He has even decided to sweeten the deal by offering a $25million dollar winner takes all fight. If the money doesn’t do it he has jumped on the Paul/Woodley tattoo train as well.

“He’s just getting attention and somebody’s gotta give him the whip,” Belfort said. “And that’s me. I’m his father. I’m going to put him on my lap. He’s going to meet daddy. Big daddy. He gonna meet Big Daddy. You watch, I promise you. He gonna say ‘Big Daddy,’ that’s what he’s gonna call me. He’s gonna make a tattoo, ‘Big Daddy.’”
“No if, when. He’s gonna call me Big Daddy. That’s all. And he’s going to have to understand that this has levels. In life, there’s levels, first class, second class, third class. That’s how tennis works.”

Do you want to see Jake Paul take on Vitor Belfort in the boxing ring?

Continue Reading Vitor Belfort Shares The Consequences If Paul Rejects Fight Offer at MMA News.

Triller Underperforms As Belfort/Holyfield PPV Numbers Flop

That cat is out of the bag, and the latest Triller PPV numbers for Vitor Belfort battering Evander Holyfield turned in some low sales figures. If the report is accurate, then Triller will have spent more money financing fighter salaries than actual revenue brought in from the event. Preliminary numbers indicate that the Triller show […]

Continue Reading Triller Underperforms As Belfort/Holyfield PPV Numbers Flop at MMA News.

That cat is out of the bag, and the latest Triller PPV numbers for Vitor Belfort battering Evander Holyfield turned in some low sales figures.

If the report is accurate, then Triller will have spent more money financing fighter salaries than actual revenue brought in from the event. Preliminary numbers indicate that the Triller show sold roughly 150K PPV units. From the beginning, the company was positioned for a bad night after their initial plans with Oscar De La Hoya fell apart. “The Golden Boy” contracted COVID-19 despite being double vaccinated and was required to go to the hospital.

The Triller event was a spectacle, and the company definitely put forth a strong effort in commanding the attention of the combat sports world. In fact, they hired former U.S. President Donald Trump to help with the broadcast’s commentary. On top of that, former UFC champions Tito Ortiz and Anderson Silva were a big part of the card and met in an 8-round battle. In what was likely the highlight of the night, Silva only needed a single round to crush Ortiz.

Following De La Hoya’s withdrawal, Triller moved on and anointed boxing heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield to fight on short notice against the 44-year old Belfort. Many were dubious of Triller’s plans as the company opted to move the Belfort/Holyfield show from California to Florida in order to assure the exhibition bout was sanctioned legally.

In addition, it should be noted that Holyfield struggled in 2004 to get licensed to fight after the New York commission barred him from receiving a fight license due to “poor performance and diminished skills.” Since that was 17 years ago, it certainly raises questions as to how he got sanctioned in Flordia at 58-years old.

It appears Triller Fight Club’s last-minute scrambling did them no favors in commanding more PPV numbers. While for a newer promotion, 150K PPV sales would be lauded, though, for a promotion that enlisted some heavy hitters and big names, they certainly missed the mark by a large margin.

Do you believe Triller Fight Club will remain a relevant player in the combat sports scene by 2023?

Continue Reading Triller Underperforms As Belfort/Holyfield PPV Numbers Flop at MMA News.

TGIFighting: Boxing Gets a New Legend, and Why Saturday’s UFC Card Is Not Great

This whole “legends” boxing phenomenon comes with a caveat: Sooner or later, the legends age out. This is a problem, because “new blood” and “old fighters” are not always compatible ideas…

This whole “legends” boxing phenomenon comes with a caveat: Sooner or later, the legends age out. This is a problem, because “new blood” and “old fighters” are not always compatible ideas…

Bisping Criticizes Belfort For Fighting Holyfield Like It Was “Personal”

UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping has slammed Vitor Belfort for the way he fought in his recent Triller main event against boxing legend Evander Holyfield. Belfort returned to the boxing ring last weekend for the first time since his professional debut victory over Josemario Neves in 2006. The former UFC Light heavyweight Champion was […]

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UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping has slammed Vitor Belfort for the way he fought in his recent Triller main event against boxing legend Evander Holyfield.

Belfort returned to the boxing ring last weekend for the first time since his professional debut victory over Josemario Neves in 2006. The former UFC Light heavyweight Champion was originally set to face former six-division world champion Oscar De La Hoya. However, “The Golden Boy” was forced to withdraw after he was hospitalized with COVID-19. On short notice, 58-year-old Holyfield stepped in.

The bout was controversial even before “The Real Deal” entered the ring. Having looked sluggish during fight week, most criticized Triller for allowing Holyfield to fight, especially considering the NYSAC had suspended his license in 2004 for “poor performance and diminished skills.”

As most had predicted, “The Phenom” was a large step above Holyfield. He finished the former heavyweight champ in the opening round.

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping is the latest name to come out and slam the matchup, as well as Belfort’s post-fight celebrations. Speaking in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, “The Count” first discussed how the pair looked in the Triller main event. He suggested that both the Brazilian and the American were on steroids.

“Evander went out there, he looked so slow. Fair play to Vitor Belfort. He did look fast. He looked like, for some reason, somehow he hit puberty again for like the fourth time in his life. His muscles were growing back. No doubt. He had spots on his back as well. And he looked fast. It was all back. I guarantee he was on steroids. He was on everything under the sun. Now fair play, I guarantee that Evander Holyfield was as well, you don’t look like Evander Holyfield at 58 years like that, unless you get a good doctor and you got an ass, like a dark board, it’s as simple as that.” (h/t Middle Easy)

Bisping went on to slam Belfort for the way he performed in the exhibition bout. According to the UFC color commentator, the 44-year-old should have taken it easy on Holyfield once it became obvious that “The Warrior” couldn’t perform at a high level.

“If it’s an exhibition bout, come on, take it easy on the guy a little bit. It’s clearly obvious when he fell through the ropes…we don’t see that from boxers in their prime. Then he drops him and puts him down. And he’s back on the feet. Is that okay? There’s the time now, Vitor to maybe step off the gas a little bit and have a little play. It’s clear. You’re at this point, better than him because of your athletic ability, because you’re faster. He’s 58 years old and he’s old news and he’s got too many miles on the clock.

“He’s a brave, broken down, old vehicle. He is conquered out right before your very eyes. Take it easy. Play the game. You were fighting like this was personal. Evander Holyfield hasn’t done anything to you. Give the people what they paid to see. Whoever partied ways with their money on Saturday and had to watch that shit show. Give them what they paid to see, give them an exhibition match.”

Bisping further laid into Belfort for the way he celebrated the victory. Given Holyfield’s age and performance, “The Count” believes the Brazilian’s post-fight actions were overboard considering who he’d beaten.

“You were fighting him like he insulted your mother. You fought him like you were Tyron Woodley and he talked shit about mama Woodley. My god, leave poor Evander alone. Have a little exhibition match, but you didn’t do that. You went out there, you blitzed him. Fair enough. You got a first-round stoppage against an old guy or an old guy that can’t clearly fight anymore. Then you celebrated like you just knocked out Mike Tyson in his prime.”

After his victory over Holyfield, Belfort called out new boxing sensation Jake Paul. The YouTuber-turned-boxer is undefeated in the squared circle. The 24-year-old recently defeated former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley via a split decision.

“The Phenom” offered Paul a $25 million winner-takes-all fight, which was later upped to $30 million by Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh. “The Problem Child,” however, doesn’t believe the promotion can put up such a high sum. With that said, it remains to be seen who Belfort will enter the ring with next.

Do you agree with Michael Bisping? Should Vitor Belfort have gone easy on Evander Holyfield?

Continue Reading Bisping Criticizes Belfort For Fighting Holyfield Like It Was “Personal” at MMA News.