On Friday night, former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Willard “Mitts” Romney faced off against Evander Holyfield in a charity boxing match in Salt Lake City, Utah, dubbed “Quake on the Lake.”
The event raised over $1 million for Charity Vision, a nonprofit fighting blindness in developing nations. Romney’s son Josh serves as the organization’s president and his wife, Ann, sits on the board.
“Two of the world’s most recognizable heavyweights,” said the announcer, introducing the boxers immediately before the match. “Both enduring low blows in their respective careers. And both known for not pulling any punches, either inside or outside the ring.”
Neither the 68-year-old Romney nor the 52-year-old Holyfield seemed to be landing punches with even 47 percent of their full force, but the fight was still pretty entertaining.
For readers who don’t want to watch the 17-minute the fight, here are some highlights:
Romney enters the arena to the strains of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”
Romney briefly takes stock of the situation after Holyfield joins him in the ring.
Romney take off his red satin robe to reveal a suit and tie. Slightly overdressed for the occasion, but it works.
The fight begins.
Holyfield goes easy on Romney, but the former governor realizes that boxing is hard.
Near the start of the second round, Holyfield backs Romney into a corner and starts pounding on his stomach.
Down goes Holyfield! Down goes Holyfield!
Romney runs away and throws in the towel.
There you have it. Two old people kind of pretending to fight each other in an event that didn’t take itself particularly seriously. It was, in every imaginable way, more entertaining and less objectionable than the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.
Screengrab via newsman14/YouTube
