Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort

No Holds Barred
DateSeptember 11, 2021
VenueSeminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Miami, Florida
Tale of the tape
Boxer Evander Holyfield Vitor Belfort
Nickname "The Real Deal" "The Phenom"
Hometown Atmore, Alabama, U.S. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pre-fight record 44–10–2 (29 KOs) 1–0 (1 KO) (Boxing)
26–14–1 (18 KOs) (MMA)
Height 6 ft 2+1⁄2 in (189 cm) 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 225.4 lb (102 kg) 206.2 lb (94 kg)
Style Orthodox Southpaw
Recognition Former undisputed cruiserweight champion
Former undisputed heavyweight champion		 Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Result
Belfort wins via first-round technical knockout

Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort billed as "No Holds Barred", was an exhibition boxing match between former undisputed heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield and former UFC light-heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort on September 11, 2021, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Miami, Florida. Belfort won the fight by TKO at 1:49 of the first round. The fight sold 150,000 PPV buys.[1]

Background

Evander Holyfield (left) and Vitor Belfort (right).

On June 17, 2021, it was announced that Oscar De La Hoya would return to the ring in an exhibition bout against Vitor Belfort on September 11, 2021, under the Triller Fight Club banner.[2] On July 21, it was announced that the match would not be an exhibition, and instead would be an official boxing match sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.[3]

On September 3, De La Hoya announced that he would not be fighting Belfort due to contracting COVID-19. In a message to his fans, he stated that he was fully vaccinated and receiving hospital treatment. In turn, it was announced that former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield will be stepping in to face Belfort, and that the event was being moved from California to Florida.[4]

The undercard was set to feature an eight-round cruiserweight bout between former UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva and former UFC Light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, as well as a heavyweight showdown between former heavyweight champion David Haye and businessman Joe Fournier.[5]

On September 7, it was announced that there would be an alternate commentary program for the show featuring the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump, and his son Donald Trump Jr. UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal joined the alternate commentary feed alongside the President.[6] The standard commentary team was reported to be the combination of former HBO commentator Jim Lampley and former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter.[7] However on September 9, it was announced that Lampley would be opting-out of the event, and that rapper 50 Cent will be replacing him.[8]

Broadcasting

The card was the third event of Triller Fight Club, a new series of boxing events promoted by the video-sharing app Triller (who had previously partnered with Legends Only League for the 2020 Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.) fight card and rapper Snoop Dogg.

The PPV was distributed via cable and satellite television providers in the United States and Canada, and also via the combat sports streaming service Fite TV (which was acquired by Triller during the direct lead-up to Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren fight).[9][10]

The event aired in Brazil on Combate, and in Hispanic America on ESPN.

Fight card

Weight Class vs. Method Round Time Notes
Heavyweight Brazil Vitor Belfort def. United States Evander Holyfield TKO 1/8 1:49 Exhibition match
Cruiserweight Brazil Anderson Silva def. United States Tito Ortiz KO 1/8 1:22 Pro Bout
Super featherweight Republic of Ireland Jono Carroll def. United States Andy Vences MD 10/10
Heavyweight United Kingdom David Haye def. United Kingdom Joe Fournier UD 8/8 Exhibition match

Belfort won the fight by a TKO at 1:49 in the first round.[11]

Pay-per-view numbers

According to first reports, the fight generated around 150,000 pay-per-view buys.[12]

References

  1. ^ Holland, Jesse (September 16, 2021). "Holyfield-Belfort PPV buys: Triller bombs, fails to break even with 'massive money loser'". MMAmania.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  2. ^ Raimondi, Marc (June 17, 2021). "Promoter: Oscar De La Hoya vs. Vitor Belfort exhibition boxing match set for Sept. 11". ESPN News. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  3. ^ Coppinger, Mike (July 21, 2021). "Oscar De La Hoya-Vitor Belfort boxing match to be sanctioned fight rather than exhibition". ESPN. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "Oscar De La Hoya hospitalized with coronavirus; Vitor Belfort to fight Evander Holyfield instead". Sky Sports. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "FIGHT CARD". Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Helwani, Ariel. "Helwani statement on commentary". Twitter. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  7. ^ Evanoff, Josh (September 7, 2021). "Triller Fight Club: Alternate Commentary For Latest Event To Include Former President Donald Trump". Cageside Press. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  8. ^ "50 Cent Joins Triller Coverage, Calling Holyfield Vs. Belfort Fight". TMZ. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "Triller Acquires Fite.TV Ahead of Ben Askren-Jake Paul Boxing Pay-Per-View Event". Sherdog. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  10. ^ "Triller owner gets a new CEO with acquisition of Amplify.AI; also acquires live streaming service FITE TV". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  11. ^ "Vitor Belfort stops Evander Holyfield in first, calls out Jake Paul for $30 million 'winner take all' fight". CBSSports.com. September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  12. ^ Jesse Holland (September 16, 2021). "Holyfield-Belfort PPV buys: Triller bombs, fails to break even with 'massive money loser'". mmamania.com.