Fight finally becomes reality
Holyfield-Lewis bout set for MSG on March 13
Posted: Tuesday November 24, 1998 11:36 PM
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Either Evander Holyfield (above) or Lennox Lewis will become the first undisputed champion since 1992 Al Bello/Allsport |
NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The highly anticipated heavyweight title
unification bout between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis
finally is a reality.
The champions have agreed to meet March 13 at Madison Square
Garden in New York. TVKO boxing executive Ray Stallone said
today that a news conference revealing details of the bout is
scheduled for Monday at the Garden.
The fight will be televised by TVKO, the pay-per-view arm of
HBO. The cable network has a multi-fight deal with Lewis, the
World Boxing Council heavyweight champion who will be trying to
take the World Boxing Association and International Boxing
Federation belts from Holyfield.
There has not been undisputed heavyweight champion since Riddick
Bowe defeated Holyfield on November 13, 1992 and literally
dropped the WBC championship belt in a garbage can several days
later, rescinding the crown. The three titles have been split
ever since.
Expected to attend Monday's news conference are Holyfield (36-3,
25 KOs) and Lewis (34-1, 27 KOs), along with Holyfield promoter
Don King. The long-rumored fight repeatedly has been derailed
by financial and broadcast issues.
The 36-year-old Holyfield has a multi-fight deal with Showtime
and SET, the PPV arm of the cable network. Holyfield's desire
to unify the title before retiring may have been enough to force
both Showtime and HBO to work out their differences.
Both fighters are coming off lost years in which they posted
lackluster victories, somewhat cooling interest in the sport's
most high-profile bout.
The showdown will be the 10th heavyweight title fight in the
history of the current Garden.
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