Evander Holyfield vs. Pinklon Thomas

{{Infobox boxing match

| Fight Name = The Countdown Continues

| image = 230px

| caption =

| fight date = December 9, 1988

| location = Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey

| titles =

| fighter1 = Evander Holyfield

| nickname1 = "The Real Deal"

| hometown1 = Atlanta, Georgia

| purse1 =

| record1 = 19–0 (15 KO)

| age1 = {{age in years and months |19 October 1962 |December 9, 1988}}

| height1 = 6 ft 1 in

| weight1 = 210 lb

| style1 = Orthodox

| recognition1 = WBA, WBC and IBF undisputed
Cruiserweight Champion

| fighter2 = Pinklon Thomas

| nickname2 = "Pinky"

| hometown2 = Pontiac, Michigan

| purse2 =

| record2 = 29–2–1 (24 KO)

| age2 = {{age in years and months |February 10, 1958 |December 9, 1988}}

| height2 = 6 ft 3 in

| weight2 = 222 lb

| style2 = Orthodox

| recognition2 = IBF
No. 4 Ranked Heavyweight
Former WBC heavyweight champion

| result = Holyfield won by 7th round RTD

}}

Evander Holyfield vs. Pinklon Thomas, billed as The Countdown Continues..., was a professional boxing match contested on December 9, 1988.{{cite web |title=Evander Holyfield vs. Pinklon Thomas |url=https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Evander_Holyfield_vs._Pinklon_Thomas |website=boxrec.com |publisher=BoxRec |access-date=30 August 2024}}

Background

In his previous fight, Evander Holyfield had defeated James Tillis by referee technical decision in his heavyweight debut. After Holyfield's victory, his next opponent was announced to be former WBC heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas. In Thomas' previous fight, he had been knocked out by Mike Tyson in his first title shot since losing his WBC title in 1986 to Trevor Berbick. Following his loss to Tyson, Thomas had not fought since, going on a 16-month hiatus before agreeing to face Holyfield.

The winner of this fight was expected to next face former WBA heavyweight champion Michael Dokes, with the winner of that fight expected to be next in line for a shot at Mike Tyson's undisputed heavyweight championship.[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/09/08/Evander-Holyfield-and-Pinklon-Thomas-who-will-fight-each/8614589694400/ Evander Holyfield and Pinklon Thomas, who will fight each...], UPI article, 1988-09-08 Retrieved on 2020-02-10 Dokes appeared on the undercard, defeating Rocky Sekorski by unanimous decision to retain the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title.

The fight

For the second consecutive fight, Holyfield would earn a victory as a result of a corner stoppage, this time after round seven. Though he again failed to gain a knockdown, he nevertheless dominated Thomas throughout, having won every round on two judge's scorecards while the third gave Thomas a single round. With Thomas having endured punishment for seven rounds, his trainer Angelo Dundee refused to let him go back for the eighth, giving Evander Holyfield the victory by referee technical decision.{{cite news |title=Holyfield Stops Thomas After Seven |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-10-sp-1330-story.html |access-date=30 August 2024 |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press |date=10 December 1988}}

Aftermath

After the bout, Holyfield would give up his undisputed cruiserweight title to focus on his heavyweight campaign.{{cite news |author1=Phil Berger |title=BOXING; Holyfield Stops Thomas in Seven |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/10/sports/boxing-holyfield-stops-thomas-in-seven.html |access-date=30 August 2024 |work=New York Times |date=10 December 1988}}{{cite news |author1=Phil Berger |title=BOXING; Holyfield Still Lacks Power |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/11/sports/boxing-holyfield-still-lacks-power.html |access-date=30 August 2024 |work=New York Times |date=11 December 1988}}

Fight card

Confirmed bouts:{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/1311|title=BoxRec - event|publisher=}}

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 85%;"
style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| Weight Class ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| Weight ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| vs. ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| Method ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| Round ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| Time ! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"\| Notes
Heavyweight \|200+ lb \|Evander Holyfield \|def. \|Pinklon Thomas \|align=center\|RTD \|align=center\|7/10 \|align=center\|
Heavyweight \|200+ lb \|Michael Dokes \|def. \|Rocky Sekorski \|align=center\|UD \|align=center\|12/12 \|align=center\| \|{{ref\|Michael Dokes vs. Rocky Sekorski\|Note 1}}
Heavyweight \|200+ lb \|Phil Jackson \|def. \|Wendell Everett \|align=center\|UD \|align=center\|4/4 \|align=center\|
Lightweight \|135 lb \|Ricardo Salazar \|def \|Sterling Staton \|align=center\|UD \|align=center\|4/4 \|align=center\|
Super Middleweight \|168 lb \|Keith Providence \|def. \|Carlos Santiago \|align=center\|UD \|align=center\|4/4 \|align=center\|

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 85%;"

style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| Weight Class

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| Weight

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"|

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| vs.

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"|

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| Method

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| Round

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| Time

! style="background:#e6e8fa; color:#000; text-align:center;"| Notes

Heavyweight

|200+ lb