Evander Holyfield Medically Suspended for 30 Days Following TKO Loss to Vitor Belfort

The Florida State Boxing Commission has given Evander Holyfield a 30-day medical suspension following his first-round TKO loss to Vitor Belfort last Saturday in an exhibition bout, per Steven Marrocco of MMA Fighting.

Holyfield, who turns 59 in October, is a former world heavyweight boxing champion who had last fought professionally in May 2011.

On Saturday, he served as a stand-in for ex-boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya, who was scheduled to make his own comeback but was unable to fight after being hospitalized with COVID-19.

As Marrocco noted, there were questions as to why Holyfield should have even been allowed to fight at all:

"Holyfield's movement and speech were noticeably impaired in pre-fight media appearances. The FSBC said he had passed all of the required medicals for fighters over the age of 40. Holyfield hadn't competed in 10 years when he stepped into the ring with Belfort and had once been barred from boxing in New York for his diminishing skills before being cleared to fight."

"The knockout loss this past Saturday was followed by an outpouring of criticism for Triller and the FSBC for putting on the fight and calls for Holyfield's retirement."

Sports journalist Arash Markazi offered some pointed criticism for those who allowed Holyfield to box:

Holyfield clearly had trouble defending himself in the ring against Belfort, who was the clear aggressor on the evening:

Holyfield's days boxing in professional or exhibition fights could be over after his sound defeat, but he still reigns as the only four-time world heavyweight champion in boxing history.

He started his career with 28 straight wins and has recorded victories over some of the sport's past champs, including Buster Douglas, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe and Mike Tyson.