Mitt Romney Boxes With Heavyweight Champ Evander Holyfield For Charity Event

Mitt Romney went toe to toe with boxing champion Evander Holyfield on May 15 to raise money for Charity Vision.

Mitt Romney Goes 2 Rounds With Evander Holyfield For Charity Vision

Romney, the former Republican Presidential candidate, and Holyfield, a five-time heavyweight champion, duked it out in the ring in Salt Lake City as part of a charity fundraiser for Charity Vision, which helps fight blindness worldwide. Romney’s son, Josh Romney, runs the charity, and hoped to raise $1 million with the event.

Let’s go @MittRomney! #RomneyHolyfield #Romney pic.twitter.com/06EzkXut8B

— Dan Knight (@DanPKnight) May 15, 2015

When the fight was announced, Romney made clear audience members shouldn’t count on seeing a real fight, joking, “I think there’ll be a lot of Democrats there paying good money to see me get beaten up.” Holyfield, 52, helped Romney, 68, prepare for the fight, helping him train with the Fullmer Brothers Boxing Gym. The day before the fight, the two sized each other up in front of the press, and Holyfield said he respected Romney for being willing to fight him. “He’s the oldest person that I ever fought. He’s the smallest person I ever fought. I’ve got a lot of respect for that,” Holyfield told reporters. Romney went two rounds with Holyfield, showing off some of his newly-learned boxing skills. He got a few good swings in, and Holyfield played along, falling to the matt.

A great fight by @MittRomney and @holyfield that helped raise more than $1 million dollars! #cvfightnight pic.twitter.com/HY2JTiFUGe

— CharityVision (@CharityVision) May 16, 2015

After that first round, Holyfield changed it up and ended up chasing Romney around the ring until Romney’s wife, Ann Romney, threw in the towel. Ann attended the game as part of Romney’s “posse,” wearing a hoodie and a Batman baseball cap.

Loved being part of Mitt’s posse tonight. #CVfightnight pic.twitter.com/gBc89JFObV

— Ann Romney (@AnnDRomney) May 16, 2015

The fun event, which also included a few professional fights and an auction, reached its fundraising goal, according to Charity Vision.

A great fight by @MittRomney and @holyfield that helped raise more than $1 million dollars! #cvfightnight pic.twitter.com/HY2JTiFUGe

— CharityVision (@CharityVision) May 16, 2015

When he wasn’t busy ‘boxing,’ Romney delivered a few pointed political jokes referring to his failed Presidential bid and his Democrat opponents. “I’m happy to fight anybody so long as Candy Crowley isn’t the referee,” he joked after the fight.