Evander Holyfield Still Insane, Believes the Klitschkos Are Ducking Him
by Scott Christ on Oct 31, 2011 5:28 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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49-year-old former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield long ago stopped being a serious contender, and nowadays he's more well-known for being, well, kind of a crazy person, hanging on far past his in-ring expiration date, and claiming constantly he'll one day unify the world's heavyweight titles, despite the fact that in recent years he's been thoroughly outclassed by the likes of Sultan Ibragimov, and this year was probably lucky to get out of a fight with journeyman Sherman Williams in West Virginia with just a no-contest.
I could go into a whole thing where I remind you once again what a shame it is that this might wind up being the everlasting image of a once-great fighter, and a truly great fighter who will someday (hopefully soon) find himself in the Hall of Fame where he absolutely, positively, without a doubt belongs, but why? This is what Evander does now. So just digest it.
Holyfield is once again claiming that he can beat both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko:
"For both of them it is only about where they can get the biggest purse. Well, they won't get the biggest purse against second-rate boxers, but against me because I am the best known active heavyweight boxer. But they don't want to take risks," Holyfield told L'Equipe.
"I want to retire as heavyweight champion of all federations ... I could beat them both."
Holyfield seems to believe that it's the Klitschkos hurting for money, and that they "need" him, but as everyone else on earth knows, they aren't and don't. Holyfield is an ancient non-factor in the division, and if he wants to go to Copenhagen and beat up a fat, retired Brian Nielsen, then more power to him. But I wish he'd stop trying to get into a fight with someone who matters. Nobody needs to see it.
I'll leave you to recall my previous thoughts on Wladimir's fight with Jean Marc Mormeck on December 10, though. If I go too far into it, I might admit I'd rather see Holyfield than Mormeck.
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He should just get it over with and schedule a boxing tournament with Travis Henry, Antonio Cromartie, and Calvin Murphy.
by OmarLittle on Oct 31, 2011 5:54 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
If I go too far into it, I might admit I’d rather see Holyfield than Mormeck.
I think i agree with that.
“Fights” like Wlad vs Mormeck and Tim Bradley vs Joel Casamayor make me want to projectile vomit.
What I really want to know is, would the average German fan buy a ticket to that fight? I have my opinions on certain aspects of the German boxing scene, but I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about the average German boxing fan, or what counts as crossing the line. Mormeck in 2011 is pretty bad, but today’s Holy makes him look like a fresh fighter.
Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
Yeah, I’m morbidly curious as to what the reception to a Klitschko vs Evander fight would be in Germany. We’ve got a few folks here who could probably help answer that.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Oct 31, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Right, the good doctors Rick and Henrik
It’s an honest question. I’m not trying to slam on German fans or single them out. Just curious. It might even be different for them mentally, considering the whole George Foreman-Axel Schultz fiasco, where you had a German get robbed against an old but basically competent American fighter. Also you have Bernard Hopkins currently running around fucking up everybody’s (perfectly reasonable) expectations about athletes and aging. Could be a situation where they rationalize it and buy a ticket.
Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
Well even in Germany I think this wouldn’t do well. I mean, any Klitschko-fight has huge attention here, and they’d definitely sell a couple of thousand tickets against Holyfield and have a few millions watching it on TV. But probably they’d sell a couple of thousand tickets against me as well (for a fight that’d last about 5 seconds until I – you know – hurt my toe).
No, not even mainstream-media would deny how much of a shell Holyfield is. With Mormeck, about everybody knows that this is not going to be a good fight, but they’ll watch anyway because they like to watch a K beat up someone. With Holyfield, they couldn’t enjoy it this way, ‘cause it wouldn’t only be a mismatch, but a disgrace.
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
Excuse me while I climb out of the wreckage of this past weekend’s disaster.
I defer to DrHenrik, since I think of him as our German correspondent on all things boxing. In particular, I don’t know what reputation Holyfield carries in Europe.
Although I think that Holyfield has always been dogged by rumors of questionable tactics, he was really an amazing fighter in his prime.
I would watch the Klitschkos fight almost anyone, however mismatched, but I also think that they really need, at some point, to hang it up and go on to other, and in my opinion, better things.
In Holyfield’s case, he’s not just a mismatch, he’s a terribly worn and battered fighter who has no chance. But he has a legendary reputation, and that’s what will feed half of the interest in this fight. The other half will feed the desire to watch a Klitschko one more time.
So, I’m meandering around to DrHenrik’s point, which is that Mormeck is a terrible mismatch, but an “honest” one in some weird way, whereas a Holyfield fight would be a travesty.
I do think that some people would watch, though.
They are ducking him!!!!
They don’t want to be responsible for his death in the ring.
by Clove_art on Oct 31, 2011 6:27 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Actually I think Evander’s gripe is that the freak show isn’t continuing. But that would assume he knows he’s the freak.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Oct 31, 2011 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Bowe has also called the Kliuts out. rolleyes
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Why doesn't Bowe call out Holyfield instead???
They could fight in Jersey and get a few bucks.
Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
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