The round-by-round description of Riddick Bowe`s defeat of Evander Holyfield`s for the heavyweight title Friday night.
Round 1
The two men circled, both missing jabs. Holyfield got in a right and a left to the head at 40 seconds. They tied up. Bowe got in a good jab 10 seconds later. Holyfield landed a grazing right at the minute mark. Bowe got in a stiff jab, then another. Holyfield missed a big left and was off balance but Bowe didn`t take advantage. Holyfield landed a 1-2 at 1:40. Holyfield got in a 1-2, Bowe came back with a jab. Holyfield landed a big right and then a hook.
The AP gives the round to Holyfield.
Round 2
Bowe came right at Holyfield, firing jabs. Holyfield landed a right lead at 20 seconds. The champion came to fight. He forced Bowe into the ropes, with a lot of mauling before he backed off. Bowe landed a heavy punch and they went toe to toe, almost hitting the ref before they broke. Bowe landed a good right to the head at mid-round, then a hard left jab and another. Neither man was backing off. It was toe to toe and in close. Bowe got in a right uppercut at 2:15. Holyfield landed a good left hook. Neither backed off. Holyfield landed a right, Bowe came back with a right.
Bowe`s round.
Round 3
The crowd was into the fight. The round opened fairly slowly with jabs. Holyfield missed a big right and then they exchanged punches. Holyfield got in a good hook, Bowe landed a 1-2. Then they went to mauling near the minute mark. Bowe got in a left to the head, a left-right at 1:20, and he landed a low punch and was warned. Bowe got in two left-rights to the head. Bowe landed two stiff jabs at 2 minutes. Both men refused again to back away. Holyfield threw three left hooks in a row and forced Bowe to the ropes with 20 seconds left.
Bowe`s round.
Round 4
Holyfield appeared swollen around the right eye. Both men jabbed in the center of the ring. Bowe landed a right uppercut at 20 seconds, another 10 seconds later. Bowe was against the ropes, landing solid shots to Holyfield`s head. They got off the ropes but stayed toe to toe although not always throwing punches. They slowed near midpoint of the round. Bowe appeared to have the better jab. Bowe landed a hard right at 2 minutes, Holyfield landed a jab and a hard right. Then they mauled in close. Bowe landed several rights to the head. A right by Bowe was low and he was warned by referee Joe Cortez at the bell.
Bowe`s round.
Round 5
The fifth followed the pattern of the first four. Bowe landed a right uppercut, Holyfield landed a couple of left hooks and a right to the head. The pace slowed briefly. The men were grabbing more in this round. Bowe landed a left-right to the head, Holyfield threw a right that sent Bowe to the ropes. Holyfield got in a right uppercut at 1:45, then a left uppercut. Both were content to jab in the final part of the round.
Holyfield`s round.
Round 6
Bowe landed a jab to the body as they met in the center of the ring. Neither has trouble finding the opponent so far. Holyfield got in a short right over a jab at 20 seconds. Holyfield`s corner was complaining of low blows, although Bowe`s low punches didn`t appear to be doing harm. Bowe landed a left to the body and a right to the body at 1:40. Bowe landed two rights to the body while against the ropes. Holyfield was turned against the ropes but wasn`t punching. There appeared to be a mouse around Holyfield`s right eye. Holyfield landed a low blow, Bowe landed a right to the ribs and a good right to the head at 2:40.
Bowe`s round.
Round 7
They jabbed to open the round. Holyfield landed a short left hook. Bowe landed a hard 1-2 at 35 seconds, another left and right that wobbled Holyfield. Holyfield was hurt but Bowe stopped punching. Bowe fired a left-right-left to the head at 1:20 but Holyfield got away. Bowe wasn`t punching much but very hard, seeming to pick his spots. They exchanged left hooks, then Bowe landed a short right to the head. Holyfield didn`t seem to have the power to hurt Bowe. Holyfield landed a short right with eight seconds to go.
Bowe`s round.
Round 8
Both men were on their stools at the bell. They met at the center of the ring. Bowe landed a stiff jab at 20 seconds. Holyfield`s face was badly swollen. Bowe landed a right uppercut at the break and was warned. Holyfield is cut over the left eye. Both landed good hooks, Bowe followed with two hooks and two rights. Bowe landed a jab at mid-round. Both men mauled for a while as the round passed 2 minutes. Holyfield landed a short left hook. Holyfield landed a right uppercut, Bowe came back with an uppercut. Bowe was thumbed in the right eye, Holyfield threw a right uppercut as Bowe rubbed his eye.
Holyfield`s round.
Round 9
Bowe`s right eye was swollen. He appeared to be thumbed with about 30 seconds to go in the eighth. Both opened the ninth with jabs. Both their faces showed the wear and tear. It was a battle of jabs for 30 seconds, then Bowe landed two hard rights that wobbled Holyfield. Holyfield threw a big right, Bowe a big right to the body. Bowe landed a hard right uppercut to the head at 1:20. Both landed rights to the head. Bowe landed a right to the side of the head at 2 minutes. Holyfield landed a left hook at 2:15. Bowe landed a right to the body and was told to keep `em up. They clinched at 30 seconds, then Bowe landed a short right uppercut. Holyfield landed a right to the jaw, took a right uppercut to the jaw in return and another at the bell.
Bowe`s round.
Round 10
They tied up at the center of the ring, then Bowe landed a hard left jab and a hard right to the head, then a hard left uppercut. A right uppercut hurt Holyfield. Bowe was raining punches, throwing caution to the wind. Holyfield was desperately holding on, going to the ropes. It was a big first minute for Bowe. Holyfield seemed completely out of gas, but Bowe might have been arm weary. Bowe landed a right uppercut at 1:20. Holyfield got in a good right uppercut, then another and he attacked. Holyfield landed a big right uppercut, Bowe landed two jabs. Both men looked exhausted. Bowe landed two jabs, then Holyfield landed a right to the head and a left hook, both landed rights to the head.
Bowe`s round.
Round 11
The crowd was in a frenzy as the round opened. Holyfield`s right eye was almost closed. Both men landed hard rights, Bowe landed a right that hurt Holyfield. Holyfield went down with another right and was up immediately to take the count. Holyfield went to the ropes in desperate trouble. Then Bowe backed off. Holyfield`s face was a mask of exhaustion and pain. Bowe`s face showed marks of war, too. Bowe landed a hard jab at 1:40. Bowe landed two hard jabs that hurt Holyfield. Holyfield answered with a hard right to the head. Then they clutched and were broken. Both hammered in close. Bowe landed a left to the head that rocked Holyfield with 20 seconds left.
Bowe`s round.
Round 12
The crowd saluted the fighters as the final round began. They touched gloves, then exchanged jabs for the first 30 seconds, then clinched. Bowe landed a right-left to the head at 45 seconds. Holyfield landed a right to the head at 1 minute, followed by a short right. Bowe landed a right to the head. Holyfield dug a left to the stomach at 1:50. Both landed a couple of head punches. The crowd was on its feet, and Holyfield landed a big right-left at the bell.
Holyfield`s round.
