22 years ago

Date: 13th March 1999

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA

Title: WBC, WBA & IBF World Heavyweight Titles

Promoted by: Don King Productions

Tv: TVKO (HBO)

Lennox Lewis
( 34 - 1 - 0 )
Weight: 245 lbs

Evander Holyfield
( 36 - 3 - 0 )
Weight: 215 lbs

Lewis and Holyfield met at Madison Square Garden before a crowd of 21,284  to unify the WBC, WBA, and IBF world heavyweight titles. Holyfield started the fight as a slight betting favourite.

The resulting split decision draw handed down by the three ringside judges would be seen as one of the most controversial in heavyweight boxing history.

Scores: Stanley Christodoulou 116-113 | Larry O'Connell 115-115 | Eugenia Williams 113-115.

After the fight, Lewis said "I felt I won the fight. It was my time to shine, and they ripped me off. I'm the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, and the whole world knows it.