Mitt Romney Loses To Evander Holyfield In Charity Boxing Match In Salt Lake City

Mitt Romney, former Republican presidential candidate lost to five-time heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield in a charity match on Friday night in Salt Lake City. The event raised money for the Utah-based CharityVision that helps doctors perform surgeries to restore the vision of people with curable blindness in developing countries.

The two barely threw punches at each other during the fight, which was more of a comedic event than an actual face-off, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Romney gave up the fight just after two rounds. He ran away from Holyfield and threw in the towel.

The black-tie event, which raised at least $1 million, also had other professional fights along with an auction. The corporate sponsorships for the event ranged between $25,000 and $250,000.

"He said, `You know what? You float like a bee and sting like a butterfly,'" Romney said after the fight, according to the AP.

Romney, who was the former governor of Massachusetts, is known for turning around Salt Lake City’s 2002 Winter Olympics after a bribery scandal.

"He's the oldest person that I ever fought. He's the smallest person I ever fought," Holyfield told CNN after the match, adding: "I've got a lot of respect for that.

"For a man who's never got in the ring to box, he can throw a jab," Holyfield said, adding: "He can move around. I was impressed."

Romney’s wife Ann also joined him at the event and said, before the match, according to CNN, that her husband has moved on from politics.

"Everywhere we go everyone says the same thing, 'Please, please, please run,' and Mitt and I are like, we've done that, and we're going to let the next group come along and see what's going to happen there," Ann said, adding: "We're in a different place right now, and we're really focused on these charities that we're involved with and our grandchildren."

Romney has decided that he won't run in the 2016 presidential elections. “Our finance calls made it clear that we would have enough funding to be more than competitive,” Romney had said, adding: “With few exceptions, our field political leadership is ready and enthusiastic about a new race.”