Evander Holyfield

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Statistics
Evander Holyfield
Real name	Evander Holyfield
Nickname	The Real Deal
Weight	Heavyweight Cruiserweight
Nationality	American
Birth date	October 19, 1962
Birth place	Atmore, Alabama, U.S.
Style	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	50
Wins	40
Wins by KO	26
Losses	8
Draws	2
No contests	0

Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962 in Atmore, Alabama) is a professional boxer from the United States. Holyfield won a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics (held in Los Angeles, California) after losing a controversial disqualification to New Zealand's Kevin Barry. His nickname is The Real Deal. Evander Holyfield is the only man to win the heavyweight championship of the world four times. Evander is also the younger brother of actor and dancer Bernard Holyfield. Evander currently lives in Atlanta with his wife and three children.

1 Boxing career
2 Life outside the ring
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Boxing career

Born in Alabama, Holyfield and his family migrated to Atlanta in the summer of 1966. Holyfield began boxing at age 12 and won the Boys Club boxing tournament. At 13, he qualified to compete in his first Junior Olympics. By age 15, Holyfield weighed 195 lbs. and became the Southeastern Regional Champion, winning this tournament and the Best Boxer Award. When he was 17 years old, Holyfield represented the U.S. in the Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, where he won a gold medal. The following year, he was the National Golden Gloves Champion, and won a bronze medal-- after losing in the semifinals by disqualification after hitting Wigans Danny Higham with a vicious left hook just after the referee said "break"--representing the U.S. in the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles.

[edit] Cruiserweight

Holyfield debuted as a professional boxer with a nationally televised win in six rounds over Lionel Byarm at Madison Square Garden on 15th November 1984. He immediately began stepping up in class, as he began 1985 with a win over Eric Winbush, a fighter who had beaten former world Light Heavyweight champion Greg Farrimond two years before. He had six more wins that year, including a victory against former world title challenger Tom Lyons.

He began 1986 with a knockout in three over former world Cruiserweight challenger Chisanda Mutti, and proceeded to beat Jessy Shelby and Terry Mims before being given a world title try by the WBA's world Cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi. In what was called by Ring Magazine as the best cruiserweight bout of the 1980s, Holyfield became world champion by defeating Qawi by a narrow 15 round unanimous decision. He culminated 1986 with a trip to Paris, France, where he beat Mike Brothers by a knockout in three in a non title bout.

[edit] Moving to Heavyweight

In 1987, he defended his title against former Olympic teammate and Gold medal winner Henry Tillman, who had beaten Mike Tyson twice as an amateur. He retained his belt by a knockout in seven rounds, and then went on to unify his WBA belt with the IBF belt held by the IBF's world champion Ricky Parkey, knocking Parkey out in three rounds. For his next bout, he returned to France, where he retained the title with an eleven round knockout against former world champion Ossie Ocasio. In his last fight of '87, he offered Muhammad Qawi a rematch, and this time, he beat Qawi by a knockout in four.

1988 was another productive year for Holyfield: He started by becoming the first, and as of April 2006, only universally recognized world Cruiserweight champion after knocking out the WBC's defending world champion Carlos De Leon in eight rounds at Las Vegas. After that fight, he announced he was moving up in weight to pursue the world Heavyweight crown held by Tyson. His first fight as a Heavyweight took place on July 16, when he beat former Tyson rival James "Quick" Tillis by a knockout in five in Lake Tahoe, NV. For his third and final bout of '88, he beat former world Heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas, also by a knockout, in seven rounds.

Holyfield began 1989 meeting another former world Heavyweight champion, Michael Dokes. This fight would also be named one of the best fights of the 1980s by Ring magazine, as best Heavyweight bout of the 1980s. Holyfield won by a knockout in the tenth round, and then he met Brazilian champion Adilson Rodrigues, who lasted 2 rounds. His last fight of the 1980s was against Alex Stewart, a fringe contender who was beaten by Holyfield in eight by a technical knockout.

[edit] Years as Heavyweight champion

In 1990, Holyfield beat Seamus McDonaugh by a knockout in four, and was by then, ranked number 1 among the world's Heavyweight challengers. By then, however, what is considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history had happened, when James "Buster" Douglas dismantled Tyson in 10 rounds in February at Tokyo to become the world's Heavyweight champion. And so Holyfield had no choice but to challenge Douglas instead. Douglas weighed 246 lbs for this fight after weighing 231 lbs against Tyson. Holyfield became the undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world when he knocked the unmotivated and undertrained Douglas out in three rounds with a single right cross.

In his first defense, he beat former and future world champion George Foreman by a decision in 12, and then a deal was signed for him to defend his crown against Tyson in November of 1991. Tyson was convicted of the rape of Desiree Washington and sentenced to six years in jail, and the proposed fight did not come off. Holyfield made the next defense in Atlanta against Bert Cooper, against whom he had to recover from the first knockdown suffered in his career when Cooper floored him in round three, but he recuperated and knocked Cooper out in round seven.

In his first fight of 1992, he faced former world Heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, and retained the belt, once again by unanimous decision. But for his next fight, he wasn't as lucky: In the beginning of a trilogy of bouts with Riddick Bowe, he suffered his first defeat when Bowe won the world title by a 12 round decision in Las Vegas. Round 10 of that bout was named the Round of the year by Ring Magazine.

He began 1993 by beating Stewart in a rematch, but this time over the 12 round distance. Then came the rematch with Bowe. In what is considered by many historians as one of the most bizarre moments in boxing's history, Holyfield had been taking solid jabs to the face from Bowe in round seven, when everyone in the crowd got off their feet and many people started to run for cover and yell. Holyfield took his eyes off Bowe for one moment and then told Bowe to look up to the skies. What they saw was a man in a parachute flying dangerously close to them. The man landed inside the ring, but tripped into one of the ring's corners, where he was beaten by members of Bowe's entourage. Bowe's pregnant wife, Judy, fainted and had to be taken to the hospital from the arena. Twenty minutes later, calm was restored and Holyfield went on to recover his world heavyweight titles with a close 12 round majority decision. The man who parachuted down to the middle of the ring became known as The Fan Man and the fight itself became known as the Fan Man Fight.

[edit] Losing the Heavyweight crown

His next fight, April 1994, he met former WBO Light Heavyweight champion of the world Michael Moorer, who was attempting to become the first southpaw to become world Heavyweight champion. He dropped Moorer in round two, but suffered a dislocated shoulder, and lost a 12 round majority decision. When he went to the hospital to have his shoulder checked, he was diagnosed with a heart condition, and had to announce his retirement from boxing. However, watching a television show hosted by preacher Benny Hinn, Holyfield says he felt his heart heal. He and Hinn subsequently became friends, and he became a frequent visitor to Hinn's crusades. In fact, during this time, Holyfield went to a Benny Hinn crusade in Philadelphia, had Hinn lay hands on him, and gave Hinn a check for $265,000 after he was told he was healed. He then passed his next examination by the boxing commission. Holyfield would later state that his heart was misdiagnosed due to morphine pumped into his body. In 1995, Holyfield returned to the ring, with a ten round decision win versus another former world Heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, Ray Mercer. Then, he and Bowe had their rubber match, and Bowe prevailed, by a knockout in eight. Holyfield would later claim that contracting Hepatitis A weakened him in the ring.

[edit] Holyfield vs. Tyson I & II

However, 1996, was a very good year for Holyfield. First, he met former world champion Bobby Czyz, beating him by a knockout in six. Then, he and Tyson finally met. Tyson had recovered the WBC's and the WBA's world Heavyweight championship, and after being stripped of the WBC title for not facing Lennox Lewis, defended the WBA title against Holyfield on November 9 of that year. Tyson was heavily favored to win, but Holyfield made history by joining Muhammad Ali as the only two men ever to become world Heavyweight champions three times. He joined Ali, former rival De Leon, Sugar Ray Robinson and Marvin Johnson among others, in the club of men who have reigned three or more times in the same division, when he knocked Tyson out in the eleventh round. After the fight, Holyfield said on TV that "My God is the only true God," a reference to the Muslim Tyson. Tyson was extremely humble and courteous after the fight, which only made the events of their rematch seem even more bizarre.

His next fight would also go into the annals of boxing as one of the most bizarre fights in history: He gave Tyson a rematch on June 28, 1997, in what became known as The Bite Fight. In the third round, Tyson bit Holyfield on one of his ears, and he had two points deducted. After biting Holyfield on the other ear, he got disqualified and a melee ensued. After peace was restored inside the ring, a piece of one of Holyfield's ears was found lying around, and it had to be surgically repaired in the hours after the rematch.

[edit] Bouncing back after Tyson debacle

Next came another rematch, this time against Moorer, who had recovered the IBF's world title. Holyfield once again unified his WBA belt with the IBF belt by avenging his defeat to Moorer with a knockout win in eight.

In 1998, Holyfield had only one fight, making a mandatory defense against Vaughn Bean, who was defeated at the champion's hometown by a decision.

[edit] Holyfield vs. Lewis I & II

By 1999, the public was clamoring for a unification bout versus the WBC's world champion, Lennox Lewis of England. That bout happened in February of that year. The bout was declared a controversial draw after twelve rounds, where it appeared to most that Lewis dominated the fight. Holyfield claimed that his performance was hindered by leg cramps. Holyfield and Lewis were ordered by the three leading organizations of which they were champions to have an immediate rematch. The second time around, in November of that year, Lewis became the undisputed champion by beating Holyfield by a unanimous decision. Holyfield would later dispute the decision, saying that "everyone who watched it knows I won the fight".

[edit] Trilogy with John Ruiz

In 2000, Lewis was stripped of the WBA belt for failing to meet John Ruiz, and the WBA ordered Holyfield and Ruiz to meet for that organization's world title belt. Holyfield and Ruiz began their trilogy in August of that year, with Holyfield making history by winning on a controversial 12 round unanimous decision to become the first boxer in history to be the world's Heavyweight champion four times. Holyfield blamed the lackluster performance on a busted eardrum. The WBA ordered an immediate rematch, and seven months later, in March of 2001, it was Ruiz's turn to make history at Holyfield's expense when he beat Holyfield by a 12 round decision to become the first Hispanic ever to win the world's Heavyweight title. On December 15 of that year, Holyfield challenged Ruiz for the title, in an attempt to become the first boxer to win the Heavyweight title five times, but in a dreadfully dull fight, he only managed a 12 round draw in the completion of their trilogy.

[edit] Holyfield vs. Byrd

2002 began as a promising year for Holyfield: in June, he met former world Heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, to determine who would face Lewis next. Holyfield was leading on two of the three scorecards when he headbutted Rahman in round seven, and as a consequence, the judges had to determine the winner by going to the scorecards during the eighth round. Holyfield was ahead, so he was declared the winner by a technical decision. But Lewis refused to meet him for a third time, provoking a situation similar to the one when he refused to meet Ruiz. So, the IBF decided to strip Lewis of his belt, and declared the winner of the fight between Holyfield and former WBO world Heavyweight champion Chris Byrd would be recognized as their world Heavyweight champion. So, on December 14 of '02, Holyfield once again tried to become the first man ever to be world's Heavyweight champion five times when he and Byrd met, but Byrd came out as the winner by an unanimous 12 round decision.

After the fight Holyfield told HBO Boxing's Larry Merchant that he plans to keep on going on with boxing.

[edit] Ongoing quest

On October 4, 2003, Holyfield lost to James Toney, by a technical knockout in round nine.

At age 42, Holyfield returned to the ring to face Larry Donald on November 13, 2004. He lost his third consecutive match in a twelve round unanimous decision.

In August 2005, the New York Daily News reported the New York State Athletic Commission has banned Evander Holyfield from boxing in New York, even though Holyfield passed a battery of medical tests.

Holyfield defeated Jeremy Bates by TKO on August 18, 2006 in a 10 round bout at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Holyfield dominated the fight which was stopped in the second round after Holyfield laid a flurry of punches on Bates.

Currently, he has a record of 40 wins, 8 losses and 2 draws, with 26 wins by knockout.

Holyfield defeated Fres Oquendo by unanimous decision on November 10, 2006 in San Antonio, TX. Holyfield knocked Oquendo down in the first minute of the first round and continued to be the aggressor throughout the fight, winning by scores of 116-111 and 114-113 (twice).

Holyfield continues to take criticism for his recent comeback, with the vast majority of experts writing off his chances of obtaining a record fifth undisputed heavyweight title as ludicrous. However, Holyfield is adamant that his losses to Toney and Donald were due to injury, not old age. Indeed, Holyfield has looked better in his recent bouts with Bates and Oquendo than against Donald, but still seems to lack the cutting edge and ability to follow up on crucial openings that he had in his youth.

[edit] Life outside the ring

By 1992, Holyfield was already a household name, announcing multiple products on television, such as Coca Cola and their sugar-free sidekick Diet Coke. He also had a video game released for the Sega Genesis: Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing. He started professing his Christianity everywhere, reminding the public before and after his fights that he is a reborn Christian, and wearing t-shirts with the word Pray in public. In 1996 Holyfield was given the opportunity to carry the Olympic torch when it was on its way to his hometown of Atlanta for that year's Olympics. October 4 of this year he was married to Dr. Janice Itson, with whom he had one child. Holyfield would later divorce Janice in 2000.

In 1998 Holyfield was forced to announce that he believed to have as many as nine children out of wedlock, and his marriage was affected by that announcement.

He founded Real Deal Records who signed the shortly successful group Exhale

On July 3, 2003, Holyfield wed for the third time, marrying 24 year old student Candi Calvana Smith.

Holyfield's popularity has led to numerous television appearances for the boxer. His first television show appearance was the Christmas special of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1990, playing himself. In 2005, Holyfield made an appearance on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, and another on the original BBC Strictly Come Dancing "Champion of Champions" showdown, which featured the final four teams from the 2005 edition of the British series, plus two celebrities from spinoff versions, paired with British professional dancers, one featuring Holyfield paired with Karen Hardy, and Rachel Hunter paired with Darren Cole. Holyfield also had minor roles in 3 movies during the 1990's, Summer of Sam, Necessary Roughness, and Blood Salvage (which he also produced).

[edit] Trivia

During a charity event in the early 1990s, Holyfield defeated Carl Lewis, the former Olympic sprinting champion, in an 800 metre race.
Holyfield is a founding partner in the Black Family Channel, a "family-friendly" competitor to MTV's Black Entertainment Television.
In "The Note", an episode of the American sitcom Seinfeld, George believes he may be turning gay when he becomes transfixed by a poster of a shirtless Holyfield hanging on an acquaintance's wall.
He made a guest appearance on Nickelodeon GUTS during its third season in 1994.
There is a joke made during an episode of Saturday Night Live in which Chris Farley plays General Norman Schwarzkopf who is commenting on a recent battle in the Middle East, when he abruptly screams, (banging on the table in front of him) "I WANT HOLYFIELD! I WANT HOLYFIELD! I showed you what these guns can do in the Middle East, and now I'm gonna show you what they can do in the ring!

[edit] See also

List of cruiserweight boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
List of male boxers
List of WBC world champions
Featured Athlete on Fox Sports Net's Beyond the Glory

[edit] External links

Preceded by Dwight Muhammad Qawi	WBA Cruiserweight Champion 12 Jul 1986–9 Apr 1988 Vacates	Succeeded by Taoufik Belbouli
Preceded by Ricky Parkey	IBF Cruiserweight Champion 15 May 1987–9 Apr 1988 Vacates	Succeeded by Glenn McCrory
Preceded by Carlos DeLeon	WBC Cruiserweight Champion 9 Apr 1988–9 Apr 1988 Vacates	Succeeded by Carlos DeLeon
Preceded by Buster Douglas	WBC WBA IBF Heavyweight Champion 25 Oct 1990–13 Nov 1992	Succeeded by Riddick Bowe
Preceded by Riddick Bowe	WBA Heavyweight Champion 6 Nov 1993–22 Apr 1994	Succeeded by Michael Moorer
Preceded by Riddick Bowe	IBF Heavyweight Champion 6 Nov 1993–22 Apr 1994	Succeeded by Michael Moorer
Preceded by Mike Tyson	WBA Heavyweight Champion 9 Nov 1996–13 Nov 1999	Succeeded by Lennox Lewis
Preceded by Michael Moorer	IBF Heavyweight Champion 8 Nov 1997–13 Nov 1999	Succeeded by Lennox Lewis
Preceded by Lennox Lewis Vacates	WBA Heavyweight Champion 12 Aug 2000–3 Mar 2001	Succeeded by John Ruiz

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