Holyfield Retains Title

Evander Holyfield gave his hometown fans what they wanted, but not in the fashion they would have chosen, and had to go the distance Saturday night to outpoint challenger Vaughn Bean in a heavyweight title bout.

Holyfield

Perhaps in winning the unanimous decision, the WBA and IBF champion, who will be 36 on Oct. 19, used up too much energy promoting his homecoming.

The turnout was definitely an Atlanta tribute to a hometown hero. Even promoter Don King noted that it was a salute to Holyfield, but also to "my promotional talents."

Bean, ridiculed for fighting weak opposition, gave it all he had but fell far short. Judge Duane Ford of Nevada scored it 116-111, while Al DeVito and Leroy Brown, both of New Jersey, each had it 117-111 for Holyfield.

"I expect him to come out fighting and I expect to talk care of him," Holyfield had said.

Bean did not come out fighting in the early rounds, but in rounds 5, 6 and 7 his awkward style bothered Holyfield as the challenger landed short, chopping rights to the head and several shots to the body.

Bean, however, lacked Holyfield's power, and that hurt his chances

In the ninth round, Bean had the best of it for more than two minutes. Then, as Bean pushed Holyfield against the ropes, the champion suddenly sidestepped and used his left arm to fling Bean into the ropes. The challenger was hung up in the ropes when Holyfield crashed a right to the head that dropped Bean for a seven-count.

Once up, Bean backed across the ring and Holyfield pursued him, landing about a half-dozen punches to the head. But Bean lasted the round.

The 25-year-old Bean, who looked flabby at 231 pounds, actually came back to have the best of the final round and Holyfield appeared a weary champion at the bell.

"He loves his job," Bean had said, refering to Holyfield.

This fight, however, looked to be a lot more like work than fun for the champion, who was making a mandatory IBF defense against the No. 1-ranked Bean.

The 217-pound Holyfield showed none of the fire he had in two fights against Mike Tyson, but he was cagey and tough enough to handle Bean and clever enough to score the big knockdown in the 10th.

Holyfield's next fight is expected to be a mandatory WBA defense against Henry Akinwande of Britain. King said he would like to put that fight in Las Vegas. Holyfield was supposed to fight Akinwande in June, but that fight was postponed when Akinwande tested positive for hepatitis-B.

The turnout for Holyfield's third title defense in his hometown was the biggest since 70,000 watched Muhammad Ali regained the undisputed heavyweight title from Leon Spinks in the New Orleans Superdome in September 1978.

Holyfield earned at least $5 million for his 36th victory against three defeats. He has 25 knockouts.

Bean, of Chicago, lost for only the second time against 32 victories. He has 25 knockouts.

Bean's purse was $1.8 million for his second IBF title bid. On March 29, 1997, Bean was outpointed by then-IBF champion Michael Moorer on a majority decision in Las Vegas.

© 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved