VITOR BELFORT’S demolition job of Evander Holyfield was ‘horrible’ for David Haye, who was ‘very disappointed’ with the ex-UFC fighter.
At 44, Belfort had several years on 58-year-old opponent Holyfield, after the American stepped in for the Covid-hit Oscar De La Hoya.
Hopes for a long exhibition contest to witness the veteran fighter’s skills were quickly extinguished by the former MMA star’s first-round knockout blow.
Belfort’s celebrations at the rapid win were unjustified, in the eyes of Haye.
The 40-year-old told iFL TV: “It was horrible to see my hero getting starched in one round.
“I really didn’t like seeing that at all. But that’s boxing.
“I thought the fight was an exhibition, I thought it was gonna be an exhibition of boxing. It was no real exhibition there…
“I talked to Vitor at the weigh-in and said, ‘You’re not gonna go out there and smoke him?’. Because obviously he’s 44 and still in good shape, he’s young and fresh, fighting a 58-year-old.
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“He said, ‘Yeah, legends respect legends’.
“I thought he was gonna move him around, we might see a points decision.
“He went out there and just blasted him out. I was like, ‘What are you doing? He’s 58’.
“And he was celebrating like he’s done something impressive. What’s impressive about knocking out a 58-year-old? No matter how impressive Holyfield looked on the scales.
“Different people have different values of respect. I was very disappointed.”
Former heavyweight champion Haye put on a more measured display when fighting on the undercard on Saturday, easily defeating Joe Fournier on points in eight rounds.
The Brit has now claimed he is ready to fight Tyson Fury – due to possessing the Gypsy King’s ‘kryptonite’.
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