In 1995, one of the most lethal third fights in a trilogy took its course at the Caesars Palace, in Las Vegas. The iconic showdown saw former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield enter the ring against Riddick Bowe for the third time in a span of three years. The fight was touted to be the score settler between them, as each of them had won one fight previously. However, it did not go well for Holyfield. He lost through a brutal technical knockout. Now, decades later, the fighter has opened up to the reasons why he could not perform well that night.

Their initial fight dawned in 1992. It was a fight that was heavily predicted in Holyfield’s favor. That November night, he failed to meet those predictions and was dealt his first loss. But a year later, results would flip, and Holyfield would redeem himself against Bowe via a majority decision. The boxing realm awaited a tie-breaker. The 1995 bout gave them that. However, Holyfield lost to Bowe for the second time. Decades later, he has revealed how an illness impacted the historic fight.

Evander Holyfield Was Sick 10 Days Before Bowe 3

In a conversation with DJ Vlad, the 61-year-old fighter elaborated on the illness he came down with right before the final installment of Holyfield-Bowe. He said, “The thing is that everything was great for me. Then, all of a sudden, I go home to Atlanta and I guess I get something, they had put something in the food that wasn’t right and I was sick.” In the conversation, the fighter later revealed that he was diagnosed with hepatitis.

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However, despite being sick, he entered the ring that night. He explained that his sickness could not keep him from forfeiting the fight. The reason you ask? Well, the $10 million he’d earn if he defeated Bowe. Additionally, he would not land any other fights of this pomp and cost ever. And so he fought on.

He said, “I said I can’t afford to lose this money. I said shoot man. I said I don’t mean you, tell me I done been to training camp for what 12 weeks and these last ten days I said they don’t give me no $10 million. I know if I lose to the $10 million thing, I ain’t.. I may not make another fight for $10 million.”

In the ring, Bowe and Holyfield might’ve been staunch opponents, but outside the ring, they have recognized the contributions each made to boxing.

Bowe Listed Holyfield among the top 5 heavyweights

Once an undisputed champion of the heavyweight class, Bowe (43-1) lost only once in his career, and that too against Holyfield. Years later, he lists the same Holyfield in his list of top 5 best heavyweights. While locating himself at number 3, Bowe put Holyfield in the second spot. Muhammad Ali was placed at the top, while Mike Tyson at 4, and Buster Douglas at 5.

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In contemporary boxing days, it is hard to see a leveled trilogy like that of Holyfield-Bowe. In those bygone days of the sport, their rivalry peaked only to push the sport toward its prime. A golden era of the heavyweight class indeed.

What do you think of the Holyfield-Bowe trilogy? Let us know in the comments section below.

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