Evander Holyfield Fights On

[southernrock]

48 year old former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield, is scheduled to be back in the ring on November 12th, against journeyman heavyweight Sherman Williams, as he tries to position himself for another title shot.

Holyfield has the heart of a lion, but he's a shell of what he once was as a fighter, and to say he's past his prime, is a colossal understatement. He is no doubt motivated in part, by his financial woes, that have been reported on recently.

See: http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=25370&more=1

[doubleouch]

Well, if the doctor says he's OK then let him fight! I think the age boundary is the new frontier in competitive sports. We are going to see lots more of this all over professional sports.

[southernrock]

Well, if the doctor says he's OK then let him fight! I think the age boundary is the new frontier in competitive sports. We are going to see lots more of this all over professional sports.

I think he'll probably be OK'd by any state's boxing commission, and as you've indicated, athletes are having longer careers, than in eras past. The thing that concerns me particularly about Holyfield, is his increasingly slurred speech. If you look at some of his interviews from the '80's & '90's his speech was pretty clear and concise. That is no longer the case.

Holyfield seems to have all his metal faculties at present, so when push comes to shove, it's his life, and his decision and should be, IMO. I would just hate to see him wind up like Jerry Quarry, or Floyd Patterson. Towards the ends of their lives, they were so far gone with pugilistic dementia, neither one of them knew they had been boxers.

[David Craik]

I was amazed when Foreman did it at 45.

[southernrock]

I was amazed when Foreman did it at 45.

Foreman was one of the biggest punchers in heavyweight history. He had tremendous power in both hands. He was also a big man with a height and reach advantage over most of his opponents.

In the loss to Ali in Zaire, although Ali nailed him with some great combos, Foreman had punched himself out, in an increasingly frantic effort to KO Ali, and was stopped as much by his own exhaustion, as he was by Ali's punches. In the loss to the tricky Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico, although a lot of punches were thrown by both men, Foreman didn't absorb a beating, but suffered from dehydration and heat exhaustion, and collapsed in the dressing room after the fight. He retired after that fight, until his comeback starting in the '80's.

In his "first" run as a professional boxer, Foreman wasn't a relaxed fighter in the ring, rather he tried to take his opponents out with virtually every punch he threw, which had a fair amount to do with his lack of stamina, in those days.

In his comeback, although past his prime, and carrying a spare tire, he was a much better ring tactician, because he had learned how to relax in the ring, and pick his shots, and along with his ever present power, had better stamina. That, coupled with the fact that other than the Lyle fight, he hadn't absorbed a great number of punches from another power-punching heavyweight, in the early days of his boxing career, helped him in his comeback, his age notwithstanding.

There is no doubt, however, that winning the title at his age was a remarkable feat.

[southernrock]

After a couple of reschedulings, Holyfield's bout with Williams was held tonight. Holyfield suffered a cut above his left eye due to an accidental headbutt in the 2nd round, and the fight was stopped after the 3rd due to the cut, and ruled a no-contest.

Holyfield was reportedly staggered, from overhand rights from Williams in the 3rd round.

See: http://www.macon.com/2011/01/23/1420...ght-ruled.html