UPSETS AND LOW BLOWS, BOXING HAD IT ALL IN '96.Byline: Ed Schuyler Jr. Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Evander Holyfield's was up, Mike Tyson's and Riddick Bowe's were down, and Andrew Golota's was dirty. That's the way it was with some heavyweight reputations in 1996. Holyfield assured himself a niche in boxing lore, becoming a heavyweight champion for the third time by stopping Tyson in the 11th round of a Nov. 9 fight in Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. . It wasn't as shocking as Tyson's 10th-round knockout loss to Buster Douglas in 1990, but it was a major upset. Tyson won WBC WBC white blood cell; see leukocyte. WBC abbr. white blood cell WBC, n stands for white blood cell. and WBA WBA West Bromwich Albion (English Soccer Club) WBA World Boxing Association WBA Weekly Benefit Amount WBA Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (Madison, WI) WBA Wireless Broadband Access titles in his first two fights of the year against opponents who were obviously intimidated. Holyfield not only wasn't intimidated, he guaranteed victory. ``I knew what I was going to do and I was going to be ready for it,'' Holyfield said. ``With me, it's not about losing, it's about giving my all.'' Bowe won both of his fights during the year, but only because Golota was disqualified dis·qual·i·fy tr.v. dis·qual·i·fied, dis·qual·i·fy·ing, dis·qual·i·fies 1. a. To render unqualified or unfit. b. To declare unqualified or ineligible. 2. in the seventh round July 11 at Madison Square Garden Current arenas in the National Hockey League Western Conference Eastern Conference in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of for low blows. In the rematch Dec. 14 in Atlantic City Atlantic City, city (1990 pop. 37,986), Atlantic co., SE N.J., an Atlantic resort and convention center; settled c.1790, inc. 1854. Situated on Absecon Island, a barrier island 10 mi (16. , a low blow in the ninth round disqualified him. The native of Poland was headed for victories both times before the low punches made him a loser and cost him millions of dollars as a major player in the heavyweight division. After the second fight, people were praising the battered Bowe's courage rather than talking about the former undisputed heavyweight champion's skills, which appeared to be in sharp decline. At the beginning of the year, Holyfield's career as a world-class fighter appeared over at age 34. He had been stopped in the eighth round of a rubber match with Bowe on Nov. 4, 1995, and had retired because of a diagnosed heart problem. After getting a second opinion and medical clearance to return, Holyfield came back and stopped Bobby Czyz Robert Edward ("Bobby") Czyz (born February 10, 1962 in Orange, New Jersey) is an American boxer. A New Jersey native of mostly Italian and some Polish descent,[1] he is both a former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion. in the fifth round May 10 in Madison Square Garden. He did not, however, look impressive, and there was concern about his physical well-being if he continued to fight. Tyson, a former undisputed champion, won the WBC title by stopping Frank Bruno of Britain in the third round March 16 and then won the WBA championship Sept. 7 by stopping Bruce Seldon in the first round. After relinquishing the WBC title rather than fight Lennox Lewis, Tyson defended the WBA championship against Holyfield in the MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. Grand Garden. Staying on top of Tyson, Holyfield took charge of the fight in the sixth round, knocking Tyson down and cutting him over the left eye. Tyson was being battered along the ropes and about to go down when he was saved by the bell ending the 10th round. Tyson, who said he didn't remember anything after the third round, was stopped early in the 11th. It was his first loss in five fights since he was released from prison in March 1995. His total purse money for those fights was $105 million. ``I have tremendous respect for you,'' he told Holyfield after the fight. ``Hopefully we'll do it again.'' When Bowe took on Golota in the Garden for a $5 million payday, he weighed 252 pounds, a career high. Golota was 26-0 at the time, but his opposition had been mediocre at best. Despite being penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. two points for low blows, Golota was leading on all three official cards before being disqualified, touching off a riot that led to 16 arrests and injuries to 22 people. Spencer Promotions, Bowe's promoter, was later fined $250,000 by the New York State Athletic Commission. The crowd was better behaved in the rematch, but Golota wasn't. He had knocked down Bowe twice, gotten up from a knockdown and was leading on all three cards, despite being penalized for hitting low and for head-butting. The fight ended at 2:58 of the ninth round when referee Eddie Cotton disqualified Golota for three blatantly low blows that left Bowe writhing on the floor. ``I don't think Andrew Golota throws punches low on purpose,'' promoter Dino Duva said. ``He makes mistakes. He's our fighter and we're sticking by him. I still think Andrew Golota is a good fighter, the best heavyweight in the world, but he's got to make some changes.'' |
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