Former world boxing champion Evander Holyfield suffered a humiliating defeat in Florida on Saturday, by technical knockout in the first round, against martial arts master Vitor Belfort.

Against the backdrop of comments given by former President Donald Trump, chosen to host the show at the Seminole Hard Rock casino in Hollywood (Florida), the Brazilian left his opponent no chance.

From the first seconds of the match, the former champion suffered a flurry of blows from his opponent who quickly sent him to the ropes.

Hardly got back on his feet, the American found himself on the mat after a series of blows from Belfort.

Standing before the referee's count, he suffered another assault without managing to deliver a single blow to his rival himself.

The referee then stopped the fight, much to the boxer's chagrin.

“I was not injured,” Holyfield insisted, considering the referee's decision “a little sad”.

“It's like that, but I think it was a bad choice,” he added.

Oscar de la Hoya's replacement at a moment's notice

Holyfield, 58, was making his return to the ring in Florida after defeating Brian Nielsen in 2011, the culmination of his brilliant boxing career. The American won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in the light heavyweight category before dominating the light heavyweight category of which he was the world champion, and entering the heavyweight category. He is also known to have beaten Mike Tyson twice, once George Foreman and once Riddick Bowe.

He had accepted this fight against Belfort only eight days ago, after the defection of Oscar De La Hoya, who tested positive for Covid-19.

He also said he was ready for a rematch against his old opponent Mike Tyson, now 55.

The support of Donald Trump, welcomed in the arena by the ovations of the public, was not enough for Holyfield, far below his performance according to the former president, a big boxing fan.

“No, he's not the same at all.

From the start, he was not the same boxer, he lost a lot, it was not Evander Holyfield, ”he said.

"It's like an election, it can also be rigged," added Donald Trump, referring to questionable results in the past in the ring.

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