Maddalone's corner stops fight mid-round

Evander Holyfield TKO3 Vinnie Maddalone... The amazing career of 44-year old Evander Holyfield kept rolling along with a third-round stoppage of Vinnie Maddalone in Corpus Christi, Texas on Saturday. Maddalone was rocked badly in the third round by Holyfield combinations, but appeared to have weathered the storm when trainer Al Certo got up on the ring apron and signalled to the referee to to stop the fight. "I'm ready for a championship fight," said Holyfield after improving his record to 41-8-2.  That's three straight wins about eight months into Holyfield's latest comeback. As chronicled on Boxingtalk earlier today, Maddalone's cutman Danny Milano flew into Texas via private jet that arrived just hours before fight time. Milano had to go to work immediately, as an accidental clash of heads opened up a bloody cut on Maddalone's forehead in round one. When the referee called for the cut to be examined, Maddalone raged at doctor in his New Yawk accent not to stop the fight. Holyfield critics take note, Maddalone was coming forward at the moment of the headbutt, so the multi-division champion can't be blamed for fouling. Milano closed the cut, but midway through the second round, it opened up again. In the third, Maddalone was bleeding again, and he got caught with some big shots that clearly hurt him. Still, he tied Holyfield up and seemed to be clear-headed when Certo stopped the fight. Maddalone, 27-4, had a four-letter response to the stoppage. The result has to be a huge disappointment to the soon-to-be married Maddalone, but when he gets married next month, everyone at the reception will know he came to win and had no quit in him.