Fighting Father Time: The Options for Evander Holyfield
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By Chris O’Brien
The dust has now settled on Evander Holyfield’s WBF Heavyweight title victory over Frans Botha and fans will be beginning to wonder where the 47-year-old will turn next.
Despite Holyfield’s eighth round knockout of Botha, the majority of fans are still urging the “Real Deal” to retire.
However, the American appears more determined than ever to fight on and continues to claim that he will unify the heavyweight division before he hangs up his gloves and dons his pipe and slippers.
Little over 3,000 supporters turned up in Vegas to watch Holyfield beat Botha to seal the lightly-regarded WBF crown. When I ordered the fight on UK PPV, the Prime Time representative was forced to admit that there had been incredibly little interest from British viewers. That wasn’t a great surprise.
Botha was more impressive in the opening rounds. He threw a host of hurting bombs forward and didn’t give Holyfield the space to land any significant shots.
However, ex-contender Botha – visibly overweight and sluggish – predictably started to tire as the fight reached the half-way stage.
Holyfield bossed the seventh round, and in the following round sent his opponent to the canvas with an impressive right hook. Botha stumbled to his feet but the referee called an end to the contest only moments later as Holyfield landed a flurry of unanswered shots.
Fans may argue that the stoppage was premature – but with the two fighters boasting a combined age of 88, the referee cannot be blamed for bringing the fight to a quick end. Botha was clearly on the back foot and struggling and Holyfield, despite a poor opening five rounds, was the deserved winner.
Return to the Ring
This was Holyfield’s first fight in some 16 months. His previous outing was the hugely controversial majority decision defeat to Nikolay Valuev for the WBA heavyweight title.
Many claim that Holyfield’s gutsy performance against the towering Russian gave him false optimism – with the twelve-round display allegedly used as a blueprint by David Haye as a lesson in how to beat Valuev.
Months of negotiation and frustration followed as Holyfield tried to gain a cash-boost with his next bout amid rumors of personal problems. The Real Deal signed up for fights in South Korea and Uganda – but they never materialized. Ultimately, Baltic Pro Box agreed to promote the Botha bout in Vegas.
Ideal Opponent
Botha proved an ideal opponent for the ageing Evander. The 41-year-old South African remains a relatively recognizable name in the sport – meaning that, despite poor ticket sales, the bout was able to command PPV screenings across the world.
There was also a belt on the line. Though it is the little-known WBF crown – held by Audley Harrison only a few years ago – Evander has been quick to be photographed with the title and undoubtedly believes that his new heavyweight crown gives him fresh bargaining power.
He told the press: “The WBF is a legitimate championship.”
Botha, too, was not expected to beat Evander. And so it proved – as the four-time champion weathered an early storm to secure a morale-boosting win and a first victory since Lou Savarese took a pummeling in June 2007.
Where Next?
The big question now, however, is where does Evander turn next?
Most fans still regard Holyfield’s dream of winning a major heavyweight title for the fifth time as a dangerous joke – and leading pundits are desperate for the future hall-of-famer to quit the sport for health reasons.
That raises major question marks over Holyfield’s marketability – which is clearly declining. The relatively poor turnout in Vegas for his WBF title win proved that. Evander, however, is having none of it. “My name is still big out there,” he has said.
Will, therefore, promoters pay big bucks to get Evander? Are leading names in the heavyweight division prepared to fight a man approaching fifty? These questions will all be answered in the coming months.
Holyfield is hoping to fight again in the summer and is looking for a quick succession of victories as he tries, surely for the last time, to get a shot at a proper version of the heavyweight championship.
Where will he turn? He’ll have to tread carefully as another defeat would – surely – put the buffers on his 26-year career. Rumors and whispers have already begun: and here’s some of the best of them.
Vitali Klitschko – Holyfield’s ambitious manager Ken Sanders claims that WBC officials are prepared to give Holyfield a shot at the giant Ukrainian later this year.
Sanders has said: “I’ve already spoken to [WBC director] Jose Sulaiman, and Mr. Sulaiman said that he would definitely approve Evander to fight Vitali for the championship”.
On the back of two title-shot losses and a win over flabby Botha, this seems madness. However, the heavyweight title lacks too many legitimate contenders and Klitschko’s promoters will want a fight that pulls interest after recent win over Kevin Johnson failed to capture the imagination of the world’s sports media.
However, Holyfield would surely need another win or two before he can even think of negotiating a deal to fight Vitali.
Tomasz Adamek – Gossip suggests that Adamek could fight Holyfield in Poland over the summer. The fight would effectively be “win or bust” for both men.
Tough-guy Adamek proved his heavyweight credentials with a points win over Chris Arreola and would be expected to dispatch of a man who is fourteen years his senior.
This fight is plausible. Adamek has already taken on a 40+ heavyweight in Andrew Golota so would probably be prepared to enter the ring with Evander. Victory for Holyfield, meanwhile, may be enough to get him one final title shot.
“Iron” Mike Tyson – Rumors of Holyfield-Tyson III have been circulating over the last twelve months. Though Tyson is washed up, overweight and out of action – there’s no doubt that this fight would sell big in terms of tickets and PPV. Some would argue that this is a sad indictment of many boxing fans!
The fight, however, would be one-way traffic. Holyfield would comfortably destroy Tyson, whom last fought nearly five years ago after being embarrassed by Irish journeyman Kevin McBride. If Holyfield really does have genuine desires of challenging for another world title, then a fight with Tyson would offer him nothing but an easy pay day.
Hector Ferreyro (IBC Heavyweight Champion) – BoxRec ranks little-known Ferreyro as the 51st best heavyweight in America. He’s hardly the big name that Holyfield will be looking for to prove his skills and to help him pay off his mounting debts.
However, the 36-year-old currently holds the IBC Heavyweight Title following a unanimous points victory over Arron Lyons. Victory over Ferreyro would give Holyfield two lightly-regarded title belts. He could take the alphabet route to claiming he is heavyweight champion for a fifth time.
“A-Force” Audley Harrison – Harrison’s career was heading for a disappointing end before a dramatic twelfth round knock-out handed much-maligned Audley a sensational knock-out win over Michael Sprott and the European Heavyweight Title to boot.
Both Harrison and Holyfield have called out the Klitschko brothers in the aftermath of their recent wins. Speculation has suggested that the winner of a bout between the two would be fast-tracked into a title shot. Seems unlikely; but it could just be possible in a heavyweight division lacking in top contenders.
Riddick Bowe – This contest is another one which has been churned out of the rumor mill. It’s a bout which would risk tarnishing one of the great ring rivalries of all time. However, a fourth match-up between the two legends would certainly generate some talking points. This is possible: but Evander will want something bigger. Bowe hasn’t fought since his comeback win over Gene Pukall in December 2008.
Bernard Hopkins – The Executioner’s easy revenge victory over Roy Jones, JR., ultimately proved little and failed to win over a skeptical public. Critics have labeled it a bore fest and one of the most promising things written about Holyfield’s win over Botha was that it was a more enjoyable contest that Hopkins’ bout with Jones!
Anxious to lease new life into his own career, Hopkins has called out David Haye and is confident he has the skills to win himself the WBA Heavyweight crown.
In fact, Hopkins has been talking about moving up to heavyweight for a while and a contest with Holyfield would be an interesting place to start! For Evander, a win over Hopkins could open doors to one last title shot. Interestingly, he was in the crowd for the Jones, JR., bout too.
Speaking three years ago about a possible bout, Bernard said: “It’d be two legends going up against one another!” He seems keen.
So what will happen?
These are only a handful of the rumors circulating about Evander’s next step. He has also been linked with a bout for the new WBC Silver Heavyweight belt, while reporters have suggested that Holyfield could even fight WBA champion Haye should the Londoner’s negotiations with Wladimir Klitschko collapse.
In all honesty, Holyfield has been very lucky to get two title fights in recent years and he has been unsuccessful in both of them. He has lost five of his last ten bouts and – understandably for his age – has hardly been active over the last two years. Many big-name younger fighters may also be wary about entering the ring with such an old boxer.
Though his win over Botha delighted his diehard fans and showed he still has something in the tank, it does not warrant a title shot. Though Haye has leased new life into this division, is still lacks top contenders – but Evander will need to claim a couple more scalps before he can justifiably claim another shot at a big belt.
His best option might be to fight for more minor titles in the short-term – but, with 48 rapidly approaching; time is certainly not on Evander’s side. Holyfield remains a legend in the ring and his win over Botha shows that he still has determination and courage. However, the firm majority will still want to see the veteran hang up his gloves very soon. What do you – the fans – want next for the “Real Deal”?