 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | July 16, 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Caesars Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Evander Holyfield vs. James Tillis was a professional boxing match contested on July 16, 1988. The fight is notable for being Holyfield's first in the heavyweight division.
Evander Holyfield had previously defeated Carlos De León to add the WBC cruiserweight title to the WBA and IBF versions already in his possession and become the first undisputed champion in the division's history. After the victory, Holyfield announced his attentions to move up to heavyweight and veteran fighter and former contender James Tillis was eventually named his first opponent. Holyfield was expected to be a future challenger to then-undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, whom Tillis had fought two years prior to his fight with Holyfield. Though Tillis would lose, he had an impressive showing against Tyson, being the first person to go the distance with him and ending Tyson's 19-fight knockout streak. Though he was no longer a contender, Tillis' experience against several top heavyweights led to Holyfield's promoter Dan Duva selecting him as Holyfield's fist heavyweight opponent. [1] Tillis had formally been a top contender in the heavyweight division, starting his career with a 20–0 record and facing Mike Weaver in 1981 for the WBA heavyweight title, though he would lose a 15-round unanimous decision. Since then, Tillis' career had been veered largely into journeyman status, facing and losing to several top heavyweights including future and former heavyweight like champions Tyson Tim Witherspoon and Frank Bruno. Though Tillis was considered an underdog against Holyfield, he remained confident that he could earn an upset victory and gain a lucrative rematch against Tyson. [2]
Holyfield would have little trouble with Tillis, earning a relatively easy referee technical knockout victory. There was a brief controversy at the end of round two as Holyfield and Tillis traded punches well after the bell rang. Holyfield's trainer Lou Duva got on the ring apron and restrained Tillis against the ropes which incited Williford who ran across the ring and shoved Duva before referee Richard Steele separated the two trainers. In round five Holyfield would hurt Tillis with several power punches in the final minute of the round. Tillis, with his back against the ropes, would barely make it out of the round as Holyfield landed a flurry of punches in the closing seconds. A clearly dazed Tillis returned to his corner where referee Steele called for the ringside doctor, whom advised Tillis to not continue, giving Holyfield the victory by referee technical knockout . [3]
| Weight Class | Weight | vs. | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | 200+ lb | Evander Holyfield | def. | James Tillis | RTD | 5/10 | ||
| Lightweight | 135 lb | John John Molina | def. | Miguel Medina | TKO | 8/10 | ||
| Heavyweight | 200+ lb | Randy Johnson | def. | Steve Harvey | TKO | 1/6 | ||
| Middleweight | 160 lb | Elias Mayorga | def | Richard LeFevre | UD | 4/4 | ||
| Super Lightweight | 140 lb | Billy Martinez | def. | Jesse Madrilles | TKO | 4/4 |
Evander Holyfield is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes in the three belt era. Nicknamed "the Real Deal", Holyfield is the only four-time world heavyweight champion, having held the unified WBA, WBC, and IBF titles from 1990 to 1992, the WBA and IBF titles again from 1993 to 1994, the WBA title a third time from 1996 to 1999; the IBF title a third time from 1997 to 1999 and the WBA title for a fourth time from 2000 to 2001.
James "Buster" Douglas is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1981 and 1999. He reigned as undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1990 after knocking out Mike Tyson to win the title, handing the undefeated Tyson his first ever loss. He also defeated heavyweight world champions Oliver McCall, Trevor Berbick, and Greg Page.
Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is a Jamaican-born Canadian former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 2001 and in 2015. He is known for his two fights against Mike Tyson in 1991, a fight against Lennox Lewis in 1992, and a fight with Tommy Morrison in 1995. Ruddock was also known for his exceptionally heavy punching; some of the best examples of his left hand and overall power was his knockouts of former WBA heavyweight champions James Smith in 1989, Michael Dokes in 1990, and Greg Page in 1992. His favoured weapon at the ring proved to be a highly versatile half-hook, half-uppercut left-handed punch he called "The Smash" which accounted for the majority of his knockout wins -- it also happened to be his major downside throughout his career. Being a left-handed puncher fighting out of the orthodox stance, he didn't throw a single right hand during most knockout flurries.
As in the 1980s, the 1990s in boxing's popularity focused on all divisions. When 1980s legends Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, as well as others retired, newer superstars filled the void: Pernell Whitaker, Julio César Chávez, in the early 1990s, Oscar De La Hoya, Félix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the mid to late 1990s.
Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield, billed as Finally, was a professional boxing match fought between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson for the WBA heavyweight championship on November 9, 1996, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The bout was Tyson's first defense of the WBA title that he had won from Bruce Seldon on September 7 of that year.
Buster Douglas vs. Evander Holyfield, billed as "The Moment of Truth", was a professional boxing match contested on October 25, 1990, for the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championships. The bout took place at the Mirage in Paradise, Nevada, USA and saw Douglas making the first defense of the titles he won from Mike Tyson in February 1990.
Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe was a professional boxing match that took place on November 13, 1992 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was contested for the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which consisted of the WBA, WBC, and IBF championships.
Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis, billed as Undisputed, was a professional boxing match contested on March 13, 1999 for the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championships.
Bruce Seldon vs. Mike Tyson, billed as Liberation, was a professional boxing match fought on September 7, 1996 for the WBA heavyweight championship.
Mike Tyson vs Frank Bruno was a professional boxing match contested on February 25, 1989 for the WBA, WBC, IBF and The Ring heavyweight championships.
Mike Tyson vs. Alex Stewart, billed as The Hard Way Back, was a professional boxing match contested on December 8, 1990.
Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock, billed as The Fight of the Year, was a professional boxing match contested on March 18, 1991 at the Mirage in Paradise, Nevada, USA. At the time the two fighters were the top two ranked contenders for the WBC, WBA, and IBF world heavyweight championships that were at the time held by Evander Holyfield. The bout was a twelve-round championship eliminator fight, with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger to Holyfield's crown.
Mike Tyson vs. Donovan Ruddock II, billed as The Rematch, was a professional boxing match contested on June 28, 1991. It was the second time the two fighters fought that year, as their first bout in March was mired in controversy.
Evander Holyfield vs. Bert Cooper, billed as "The Homecoming", was a professional boxing match contested on November 23, 1991, for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships.
Evander Holyfield vs. Larry Holmes, billed as "Class of Champions", was a professional boxing match contested on June 19, 1992, for the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championships.
Lennox Lewis vs. Donovan Ruddock, billed as "The Fight for the Right" was a professional boxing match contested on 31 October 1992. The fight was a WBC heavyweight title "eliminator", with the winner scheduled to challenge the winner of the Evander Holyfield–Riddick Bowe championship bout held two weeks later. In addition, Lewis' Commonwealth heavyweight title was also on the line.
Evander Holyfield vs. Carlos De León was a professional boxing match contested for the undisputed cruiserweight championship between WBA, and IBF champion Evander Holyfield and WBC champion Carlos De León. The bout took place on April 9, 1988 at Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada.
Evander Holyfield vs. Pinklon Thomas, billed as "The Countdown Continues...", was a professional boxing match contested on December 9, 1988.
Michael Dokes vs. Evander Holyfield, billed as "A Date with Destiny", was a professional boxing match contested on March 11, 1989 for the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title.
Evander Holyfield vs. Alex Stewart, billed as "Undefeated" was a professional boxing match contested on November 4, 1989 for the WBC continental Americas heavyweight title.