Holyfield of dreams – champ wants comeback bout

CorkMan

Four-time Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield says that at the age of 48 he still wants to have another shot at the world title, eyeing the winner of Saturday’s Povetkin-Chagaev bout.

­Russian boxer Aleksandr Povetkin and Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan will battle it out for the WBA "regular" heavyweight title on Saturday night in Erfurt, Germany. "I want the winner of the world championship fight between Aleksandr Povetkin and Ruslan Chagaev,” Evander Holyfield told Boxingscene.com. “The fight between Chagaev and Povetkin is very interesting.”

The US boxing legend says he respects Povetkin’s coach Teddy Atlas and sees the Russian as the favorite in the fight. “He [Povetkin] was an Olympic champion and world amateur champion, and he's undefeated. I love boxing and I feel fit. My dream is to become world champion again," he added.

Holyfield has told German media that he already held a meeting with Povetkin's promoter Kalle Sauerland to discuss the possibility of facing the Russian Knight. If he claims the belt, of course.

If such a bout takes place and Holyfield comes out of it as winner, he will beat the record of Bernard Hopkins, who became the oldest ever boxing champ after grabbing the WBC light heavyweight title this May.

http://rt.com/sport/boxing/boxing-povetkin-chagaev-holyfield-385-207/

Just stay away from the ring Evander, no one wants to see you get really hurt. You can still live for another 40-50 years.

gene_tunney

CorkMan wrote: »

http://rt.com/sport/boxing/boxing-povetkin-chagaev-holyfield-385-207/

Just stay away from the ring Evander, no one wants to see you get really hurt. You can still live for another 40-50 years.

Realistically, for boxers who have sustained as much punishment as Evander, the worry is quality of life. Guys like him will always have slurred speech, and many have traces of dementia and poor memory.

The pathology of the blows received to the head is very similar to the pathology of Alzheimer's Disease, which shows how serious the consequences of repetitive trauma is.

I should probably stop now before nobody ever watches a boxing match again.

joepenguin

Ive no problem with him fighting on as long as the bouts pose minimal risk to his health. Not that any fight comes with a gaurantee of course. Thankfully none of the serious contenders/champions are willing to step in the ring with him.

Boooourns

He's skint as well isn't he, just not nice seeing him whore himself around like this.

nacho libre

I thought he was fighting on because he is simply delusional about his boxing abilities at this stage

After all the satisfaction he has given boxing fans over the years, it's a travesty if he is continuing to fight because he's broke. It's more importantly not fair on his family.
He will get creamed if he steps in with either of the Klitschkos.

Syferus

gene_tunney wrote: »

Realistically, for boxers who have sustained as much punishment as Evander, the worry is quality of life. Guys like him will always have slurred speech, and many have traces of dementia and poor memory.

The pathology of the blows received to the head is very similar to the pathology of Alzheimer's Disease, which shows how serious the consequences of repetitive trauma is.

I should probably stop now before nobody ever watches a boxing match again.

Most everyone knows the dangers involved in professional boxing. This isn't a Roman arena; these fighters are choosing to put their bodies on the line and they should very much have that freedom as long as they are in sound mind and body.

As long as Holyfield meets those criteria I have no problem with him fighting because he can't be stupid enough to not understand the risks; if he feels it's worth those risks that's his choice.

nacho libre

Syferus wrote: »

Most everyone knows the dangers involved in professional boxing. This isn't a Roman arena; these fighters are choosing to put their bodies on the line and they should very much have that freedom as long as they are in sound mind and body.

As long as Holyfield meets those criteria I have no problem with him fighting because he can't be stupid enough to not understand the risks; if he feels it's worth those risks that's his choice.

I urge you to read the interview he did in the Daily Mail some time back. He comes across as delusional- he believes he can become unified World Champion by the time he is 50.. I under your libertarian viewpoint of he is a freeman and as such should be allowed to make his own choices, but i feel sometimes people need protection from themselves. This is definitely one of those cases.

joepenguin

He's fightin on the senior circuit so its all good. I think he fights cause he is broke and needs the money, or perhaps he doesnt want to have an unfillable void in his life?
Of course he talks about being unified champ. Sure Bert Cooper had the same ambitions a few months ago. Its all talk and helps the hype.
Plus the Klitschkos wont fight him.

djhaxman

Retire please. He is a legend, like Roy Jones, tarnishing that reputation with every fight. One of my favourite fighters, but it needs to stop before he does get hurt.

Dan_Solo

Saw him in the crowd at the Helenius fight. Unfortunately it looks like he's serious about this.:eek:

CorkMan

He did lose an awful lot of money, from what I know his main house in Atlanta at least.

mrgardener

He just shouldn't be allowed to fight. Its not a Rocky movie ffs. The man could do some permanent damage to himself.

CorkMan

mrgardener wrote: »

He just shouldn't be allowed to fight. Its not a Rocky movie ffs. The man could do some permanent damage to himself.

The thing is the man has so much heart he wouldn't go down even if he was really hurt, he'd still be standing taking huge punches to his brain.

walshb

joepenguin wrote: »

Ive no problem with him fighting on as long as the bouts pose minimal risk to his health. Not that any fight comes with a gaurantee of course. Thankfully none of the serious contenders/champions are willing to step in the ring with him.

How is a 48 year old who has spent maybe 30 years getting punched in the head and body going to be exposed to minimal risk? He is a disaster waiting to happen.

joepenguin

walshb wrote: »

How is a 48 year old who has spent maybe 30 years getting punched in the head and body going to be exposed to minimal risk? He is a disaster waiting to happen.

Smart matchmaking!

As long as he is fighting other oldies, or guys that cant give him a beating for 12 rounds then he is at minimal risk.

By this i mean as minimal a risk as you get while competing in the heavyweight division and holding on to a ranking worthy of a world title crack and earning some money.
A part of him thinks he can unify the division but he's not as deluded as people think. He said on sky a while back (when haye was making the transition to heavyweight) that he would not be taking on the young guns. They were both in the studio at the same time, cant remember the show.
Perhaps he is holding out for Mormeck or someone to upset the klitschkos and he can swoop in?

clubwelly

Yeah I think Holyfield is in big time money trouble on wife number 4 and was nearly declared bankrupt two or three years ago. Don't be surprised if he fights Povetkin