Definitely the call of the ring seems stronger than anything. When you’ve tasted the adrenaline of a fight and the fervor of the boxing halls, it seems very difficult to move on and settle for a quiet retirement. A little less than a year after Mike Tyson’s exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2000, another former glory of world boxing is about to return to the ring.
Former heavyweight king Evander Holyfield, who turns 59 in October, will meet Brazilian Vitor Belfort, 44, a still active MMA (mixed martial arts) star for an exhibition on Saturday in Florida. World heavyweight champion from 1986 to 1988 and then for more than ten years in the premier heavyweight category, “The Real Deal” (his nickname) won 44 victories, including 29 by knockout, in 57 fights.
Holyfield, who has not been in a boxing bout for over ten years, is in fact replacing Oscar De La Hoya in the ring. The former world champion in six different categories, from super feathers to medium, who was also due to come out of retirement at 48 for this gala fight, had to forfeit a few days ago after contracting the Covid -19. The “Golden Boy” was forced to be hospitalized for treatment.
A fight with Tyson later?
If the fight, which should take place in eight rounds of 2 minutes, was originally to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, it will eventually be relocated to Florida, boxing authorities in California do not know. effect not authorized the holding of the event in this state.
Holyfield had posted a message on Instagram in August in which he claimed “to train hard for several months”. Proof of his desire to put the gloves back on even if at the time no fight was scheduled. The decision of his old rival of the rings, Mike Tyson, to return to the rings, is perhaps not foreign to that of Holyfield.
Besides, boxing fans are already dreaming of a Homeric duel between the two best enemies of boxing. Mike Tyson, now 55, and Holyfield have faced each other twice before. It was in the last century in 1996 and 1997 but these fights are remembered. The first, won by Holyfield, was voted fight of the year. The second, also won by the elder of the two, remained famous after Tyson, in the third round, was disqualified for biting his opponent’s ear twice. “Iron Mike” was ordered to pay Holyfield 10% of his purse (or $ 1 million) for his action and was banned from boxing for a year. The third act of this opposition has never been so close.
