Evander Holyfield goes down: How much further can boxing go?

I’ll admit it.

I was acting like a rubbernecker.

After reading a quick blurb, that former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield had been stopped in the first round, I went in search off highlights.

Or lowlights.

I found them immediately and watched silently.

I had seen tape of Holyfield earlier in the week working the mitts. It was sad. The former undisputed champion threw punches slowly as if his brain wasn’t wired the same way anymore.

It’s not. Social security is on the horizon.

But still, the state of Florida had licensed him to fight.

Pathetic.

The "fight" (an exhibition match would have been OK with big gloves) was supposed to go down in Los Angeles, but getting Holyfield licensed was problematic.

"I was not agreeable with the match based on a variety of regulatory factors, and we did not have adequate time for [Holyfield] to go through an extensive licensing process," said CSAC executive officer Andy Foster said.

Foster did his job.

Nobody else did.

All the rest of them saw green stuff.

I don’t blame Holyfield. Boxing is the only thing he knows, but he’s 58 years old.

I blame the bloodsuckers who would dig up a corpse if it meant making money. How they look in the mirror is beyond me. And this goes for the announcers as well. I was pleased when former HBO blow-by-blow commentator Jim Lampley walked away from the freak show a few days ago.

Lampley didn’t say why.

Does he need to?

As for the so-called fight, the image of Holyfield, who won titles in two divisions slipping after throwing a punch, reminded me of when Willie Mays slipped while attempting to catch a fly ball in 1971.

Yes, I’m that old, as is Holyfield.

It only got worse.

Seconds later, an uppercut knocked Holyfield down. He didn’t look hurt per-say. More shocked. Reality sucks. He got up of course but was buckled again by a punch.

A follow-up flurry convinced referee Samuel Burgos to wave off the bout. Holyfield argued, but more punishment was on the way.

Holyfield doesn’t need to take any more punishment. He’s an unquestioned warrior - loaded with determination. A pure fighter.

No more fighting Evander.

And no more rubbernecking.