(This entry was originally published in this blog December 2008 and it is based on the information of that time.)
In his quest to win the boxing heavyweight title for the fifth time, re-writing his own record of winning it 4 times, Evander Holyfield is going to face reigning heavyweight champion Russian boxer Nikolai Valuev on 20 December 2008 at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. Evander Holyfield is one of the great boxers in the history of boxing. His career record is 42 wins in which 27 were knock outs, 9 loses and 2 draws. He made a brief return to the ring in 2006 and starting winning bout one after another before losing to Sultan Ibragimov for a WBO heavyweight title on 23 October 2007.
So, Evander Holyfield is going to make his second try to retain the heavyweight title by defeating current heavyweight title holder Nikolai Valuev. The Russian boxer Nikolai Valuev will defense his second WBA heavyweight title for the first time. After losing his first heavyweight title in 2007, Valuev retained it in August this year and now he is going to make his first title defense of second heavyweight title. Evander Holyfield will fight against Nikolai Valuev for $600,000 which is lowest he got for championship bout. At 46, Evander Holyfield may seem to you too old to win a heavyweight title, but do not underestimate his confidence, skill, talent, determination and will power that might count more than his age.
Nikolai Valuev: Too Tall to Reach Holyfield’s Punches?
With an height of 7 feet 0 inch, Nikolai Valuev is about 10 inches taller than Evander Holyfield who has an height of 6 feet 1.75 inch tall. So, there are many who think that it could give Nikolai an advantage over Holyfield in the bout. Holyfield also dismissed all the talks concerning the height problem. He said that Nikolai’s head was exactly where he can hit it! Well, he also thinks that it is not size, rather it is experience which matters in the ring.
Telegraph reported:
“His head is exactly where it needs to be for me to hit it,” said Holyfield (42-9-2). “I honestly do not think that size really matters. It is about how each individual fights. I know I have more experience so I’m just looking forward to showing my talents in the ring.”
“Big people, heavy people don’t run the world, people with knowledge run the world, and I will use my ring knowledge to defeat Valuev,” he said, stoney-faced.
Evander Holyfield: A Great Boxer, and a Great Spender?
Evander Holyfield sounds really interesting. The 46-year-old veteran does have more experience than his opponent Nikolai Valuev who is 11 years younger at 35. The four time former heavyweight champion is now fighting for his survival as he is going through financial crisis. It is also widely believed that he made a come back to the ring in 2006 only because he is running out of money. In his illustrious career, the American great earned $250million. Then why he is going though financial crisis? Look at the following lines from the same report of Telegraph:
The warrior has to earn almost $2million a year simply to stay above the pain line, as he loses money, pardon the analogy, hand over fist.
His bills run into payments of $500,000 a year to his 11 children - his oldest child Evander, 24, has just graduated in Business from College in Atlanta - mortgage payments on his 109-room mansion outside Atlanta, off Evander Holyfield Avenue, which amount to a whopping $600,000 a year, maintenance payments on his property, including insurance, a further $900,000 annually (his gardening bills alone are reputed to total almost $100,000 a year).
No doubt, Evander Holyfield could be an archetype of a typical American who likes to live the life in a lavish fashion, playing a big part behind the current economic recession in the world. Well, there is one good side of Holyfield’s financial crisis and that is, he will try to win the title not only for pride or making history, but also for money too. He already said that after winning the heavyweight title for the fifth time, he would write a book on how he won it. If Holyfield can not win it, then how he can write the book.
There is no doubt, Evander Holyfield is a great boxer, but I am not sure if he can win heavyweight title once again, making a history at the age of 46. I know, he has the will power which can make half the task, but sill, there are doubts over his success against Nikolai Valuev.
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