On March 13, 1999, a heavyweight championship match between
Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield took place at Madison Square Garden in New
York City, New York.
Evander Holyfield (left) and Lennox Lewis (right) pose for a promotional photo prior to their fight at Madison Square Garden. |
The match seemed to be in favor of the taller Lewis as he
dominated Holyfield all around the ring for 12 rounds.
However, the match went to the cards and ended up being
determined by the judges.
One judge gave the match to Lewis 116-113, one saw it as a
draw, and Eugenia Williams, saw it as Holyfield being the winner. Because all
three cards differed and one was a draw, the outcome was a draw.
Lennox Lewis (left) and Evander Holyfield (right) went toe-to-toe in a 12 round fight at Madison Square Garden in 1999. |
There was an incredible amount of outrage from the decision,
with many questioning if the fight had been fixed. Williams, the long judge to
have Holyfield as the winner, received an enormous amount of criticism.
Williams mentioned that the photographers were blocking her
view and that she couldn’t see the fight properly.
Williams testified in court and admitted she had made a
mistake, saying, “I couldn’t judge what I couldn’t see. I couldn’t go to the
other side, and I even hit my head on a camera when I tired to get closer.”
Eight months later Lewis and Holyfield planned a rematch to
face one another, one where Lewis prevailed as the undisputed winner of this
match.
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