Holyfield suspended by doctors

Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield could be forced into retirement after being placed on an indefinite medical suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission.

The 42-year-old suffered an emphatic points loss to Larry Donald at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

That followed on from a damaging ninth-round defeat by James Toney, when his trainer threw in the towel, and Holyfield has now won just two of his last nine fights.

Epic encounters with Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe have become a distant memory and calls for Holyfield to hang up his gloves have been growing for several years.

The boxer himself has ignored such pleas but he will now be unable to fight anywhere in America until being cleared by Dr Barry Jordan of the New York commission.

NYSAC chairman Ron Stevens told the New York Daily News: "I'm not looking to end his career if it's not warranted, but the health and safety of the boxer is the main concern of the state commission.

"To my practiced mind, Holyfield shouldn't be fighting any more. It's the responsibility of the state athletic commission to save a boxer from himself.

"Evander Holyfield has absorbed enough punishment throughout his great career. It's time the bleeding stopped."

Holyfield has, however, vowed to appeal against the ban.