Finally Evander!!!

Evander Holyfield will finally retire on his 50th birthday on Friday.

As if pulling a blanket over his head to hide from a world of troubles, Evander Holyfield will finally retire on his 50th birthday this Friday.

One of the ring’s most heroic warriors has been defeated not by one of his catalogue of formidable opponents but by the wounds of self-inflicted poverty.

A man who battled his way out of the ghetto to a $350million fortune will wake up this morning in a grim apartment in down-town Atlanta. From The Real Deal to Meals On Wheels.

This is the deepest cut of all those sustained by so many fighting men who have squandered fortunes. Even Mike Tyson only blew $250m. Worse, Holyfield seems more afflicted than most by the punishment inflicted by sledge-hammer blows to the head.

Yet even though his speech became increasingly slurred as he fought on, he had still been hoping for one last big payday to keep the wolf from the door.

Holyfield has been waiting for a call which will not come. His potentially suicidal campaign to fight Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko has fallen on ears that are more kind than unreceptive.

Holyfield says: ‘I believe I can beat either of them but I don’t have time to fight my way back up the rankings and become the No 1 contender. There’s no point badgering them any longer. If I don’t get the call on Friday, I quit.’

The phone will not ring.

Bernd Bonte, manager of the Klitschkos, says: ‘Neither of the brothers will fight Evander. Both of them would destroy him, and they respect him far too much to do that. He is one of their idols and that means more than any money the fight might make.’

The esteem in which Holyfield is held by the Klitschkos is hall-marked by the horde of memorabilia which he must surrender to auction next month.

As the only four-time winner of the world heavyweight title, Holyfield surpasses even Muhammad Ali. That collection of WBC, WBA, IBF and Ring belts are to go under the hammer in Los Angeles, along with the gloves, shorts and robes worn in his major fights.

Those treasures drip with the sweat of his epic trilogy with Riddick Bowe, the two controversial battles with Lennox Lewis and — along with his blood from that infamous biting of his ear — the sensational victories over Tyson.Yet, although there is no telling how long his memory of the glory nights will remain sharp, the item from which he will part most reluctantly is the classic red Chevrolet manufactured in 1962, the year of his birth. Yet even if the sale raises its projected $5m, that will cover only half his bankruptcy.

How could it have come to this? As the money poured in, so Holyfield took to gambling much of it away. As all the pretty women flocked around, so he fathered 11 children with five of them, as well as marrying and expensively divorcing three times.

He also flaunted his riches by buying Atlanta’s answer to Buckingham Palace. The most frequently mentioned statistics of that estate are the 109 rooms and 17 bathrooms. When I visited him there he took most pride from having not one but two marble staircases. There were also houses in the grounds for his ex-wives and some of his children.

This was a monument to extravagance that was beyond his means to sustain. His residence now is a small apartment in one of the less salubrious parts of his home city. The stately home was repossessed when he fell $14m behind on the mortgage repayments.

Now one of his daughters has won an order for immediate payment of $500,000 in maintenance arrears. Since he has no prospect of paying that, he faces being held in contempt of court shortly.

What they cannot take from him is a phenomenal career. A Golden Gloves amateur title and Olympic bronze were followed by a reign as undisputed cruiserweight champion. After winning the heavyweight crown by defeating James Buster Douglas, who had shocked Tyson, he went on to fight all the best big men. He would been a five-time champion had he not been robbed of a decision by Nikolai Valuev in February 2010, at the age of 47. He has the satisfaction of bowing out a winner, having defeated Danish veteran Brian Nielsen in his last fight.

Win or lose, the way Holyfield always went to war in the ring was thrilling and unforgettable.

Some may withhold sympathy, given the former scale of his wealth. Yet while his excesses were a folly, the sadness is profound.

Tyson is offering advice to the man whose generosity has extended to forgiving Iron Mike for chewing off his ear.

Famously a born-again Christian, Holyfield says: ‘I still have hope.’

Wouldn't be surprised if Povetkin's people ring him on Friday.

Well that's depressed me! I do hope he finds some peace now and lives a long, comfortable life, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I read an interview with him last month in Boxing News in which he said he'd hang up the gloves on his fiftieth birthday if a 'title' shot wasn't on the horizon; I was never worried that either Klitschko brother would oblige, but there was a niggling concern in the back of my mind that Povetkin or maybe even one of the Cruiserweight belt holders (rumour has it that Evander was in such dire needs to earn a pay day he was thinking about returning to his old stomping ground) might be giving him a call.

Thankfully, those concerns haven't materialised.

I appreciate that it's difficult to feel sympathy for someone who has got through so much money - around $55 million for the two Tyson fights so they say, while the first fight with Lewis alone was worth just shy of $21 million. On top of all that, you've got the second Lewis fight, the trilogy with Bowe and world title fights with the Qawis, Moorers and Foremans of this world, all of which would have carried substantial financial weight.

But I find it impossible to not feel at least a touch of sadness, knowing the state that Holyfield is in both physically (slurred speech, needing a great deal of time to process and consider each answer in his head whenever he's asked a question etc) and financially. He earned those hundreds of millions through insane hard work, a great deal of bottle and an indomitable will to win and entertain, all of which was done, essentially, for us fight fans. The likes of Holyfield (as well as other Harry-Hard luck cases such as Robinson, Saad and Frazier) were given plenty of things by boxing which they wasted, but they all also paid a hell of a lot back to the sport in other ways.

It comes as a great relief to know that Holyfield is finally retiring - as someone who can remember getting up in the early hours as a young lad to watch his tussles with Tyson, Lewis etc, it's been pretty damn unpleasant seeing him tarnish his legacy the way he has over the past dozen years.

He deserves to be criticised for his reckless spending and disregard for his responsibilities as a father / husband, but I can't bring myself to do it without feeling sympathetic towards him, too. I hope he gets things straightened out somehow.

Love the fact he is retiring, but its really sad and depressing to see how far he has fallen.

As much as I used to like him I cannot sympathise with someone who blew away so much. Should have kept his money in the bank and his winkle in his trousers he would not have been in such a mess!!

It may just be posturing but I read a quote from him the other day where he said he was fine financially and the figures being touted were nowhere near the truth.

Either way it's a sad end to a fantastic career. One of my favourite fighters from the last 20 years or so.

Seems like a story of reversion to mean. From the gutter, earned hundreds of millions, now he'll end up back in the gutter. Minimal sympathy as his refusal to wear a condom seems to be a major factor (although ridiculous 'maintenance' laws which screwed him I disagree with) along with exhuberrant extravagance.

Remember a Chris Rock sketch (admittedly about 15 yrs old now), saying that black people people were often rich but rarely wealthy. His joke being that his bretheren, once rich and out of the gutter, were more keen on showing off their new found riches with "24 inch rims", garages of cars, massive houses etc rather than consolidating and building upon their bank balances.

Holyfield is a sad example of that. No doubt his lack of acumen will have meant a lot of that money will have been screwed out of him (literally and figuratively) by various parasites but, even after that, he should have had enough to keep himself and his family comfortable for generations.

The greatest warrior in the history of boxing.

The biggest clown with money in the history of boxing.

Anyone who earns $350 million dollars is worthy of respect. His talent, unquestionable. He will remain as one of the ATG's P4P (top 50) and the greatest cruiserweight we're likely to see.

That said, the man deserves no respect for his out of the ring exploits, the womanising, the gambling, he deserves everything thrown at him. I can't feel sad for him, he continued from a stellar career right through to a joke where he was long gone. His last great performance came against Moorer and although robbed against Valuev, I feel that was where he should have called it a day. His performances against Ruiz were dire in my view, and he lost to Lewis where 5 years previously he may have had a good chance.

So, in summary - as a boxer, immense respect earned.

As a person - not so much. He can thank his god that the Klitschko's are humane and didn't fight him, because I feel that would have been a very sad end for him.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Seems like a story of reversion to mean. From the gutter, earned hundreds of millions, now he'll end up back in the gutter. Minimal sympathy as his refusal to wear a condom seems to be a major factor (although ridiculous 'maintenance' laws which screwed him I disagree with) along with exhuberrant extravagance.

Remember a Chris Rock sketch (admittedly about 15 yrs old now), saying that black people people were often rich but rarely wealthy. His joke being that his bretheren, once rich and out of the gutter, were more keen on showing off their new found riches with "24 inch rims", garages of cars, massive houses etc rather than consolidating and building upon their bank balances.

Holyfield is a sad example of that. No doubt his lack of acumen will have meant a lot of that money will have been screwed out of him (literally and figuratively) by various parasites but, even after that, he should have had enough to keep himself and his family comfortable for generations.

Even if Holy had fathered the same amount as Berthold Wiesner (see below) he should still have had enough money to live on with £350m altogther, put in high interest accounts, stocks and shares, invest in property, he could have double/trebbled that. Silly man.

http://jezebel.com/5900199/meet-the-creepy-fellow-who-fathered-some-600-children

I have never been quite able to forgive Holyfeild for the way he robbed Lewis in their first fight but he deserved credit for fighting him in a rematch he must surely have known he would lose! He was a very good boxer, not up there with Ali or Lewis but still a great fighter and a real servant to the sport. I think he deserves he one more shot and maybe I am not the only one that has s neaky feeling he could pull it off? George Foremna managed it in his old age in a far better heavyweight division and Holyfield has been written off before lets not forget! A certain mister Tyson and all that! They say all great fighters have one more big fight in them. It shows the need for boxers to manage their money more carefully. The likes of Lennox Lewis should be used as an example to upcoming boxers of a fighter who was intelligent inside and outside of the ring and was able to hang onto his money wisely. Quite often boxers are forced to come back from retirement because they have squandered their money and end up risking their health.

Remember a Chris Rock sketch (admittedly about 15 yrs old now), saying that black people people were often rich but rarely wealthy. His joke being that his bretheren, once rich and out of the gutter, were more keen on showing off their new found riches with "24 inch rims", garages of cars, massive houses etc rather than consolidating and building upon their bank balances.
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"DEY SPINNIN' N****R...DEY SPINNIN'" Sad but true.

"I'm not talkin' 'bout rich...I'm talkin' bout wealthy"

"Rich is those people who got a few dollars...wealthy is those folks who own the colour blue"

"Shaq is rich...the man who signs his cheque is wealthy."

"If Bill Gates woke up to find he had Oprah's bank balance, he'd jump out the window...and cut his throat on the way down."

Wonder if Audley will have that one final fight against Evander and they can both walk hand in hand into the sunset together.

Welcome back Gordy

alma wrote:

ShahenshahG wrote:Welcome back Gordy

another excuse to drone on about Lewis.

Well a mother is entitled to isnt she

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/19940312

Just for you gordy ahahaha

ShahenshahG wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/19940312

Just for you gordy ahahaha

This is what I have been saying all along and it shows that I am right. Price knocks out this clown Audley Harrison who is one of the biggest hype jobs in living memory and he gets compared to Lennox Lewis? Embarrassing really. No wonder boxing is in the state its in. Some people never learn. Holyfield may aswell try and box Price if he is short of money. I think after his services to the sport he should be allowed a title shot. If hype jobs like Haye and Harrison can get one and boxers like Price are compared to Lewis then surely Holyfield has earned a shot and the chance to help himself financially. I would give him a good chance of managing to win. The heavyweight division is dire and people have a habit of writing great fighters off. Foreman was written off when he came back, Lewis was writen off against Tyson and Holyfield is no stranger to being written off either. Why not allow him one last chance before he retires? Could it be because he might actually have a chance of winning....?

Gordy wrote:I have never been quite able to forgive Holyfeild for the way he robbed Lewis in their first fight but he deserved credit for fighting him in a rematch he must surely have known he would lose! He was a very good boxer, not up there with Ali or Lewis but still a great fighter and a real servant to the sport. I think he deserves he one more shot and maybe I am not the only one that has s neaky feeling he could pull it off? George Foremna managed it in his old age in a far better heavyweight division and Holyfield has been written off before lets not forget! A certain mister Tyson and all that! They say all great fighters have one more big fight in them. It shows the need for boxers to manage their money more carefully. The likes of Lennox Lewis should be used as an example to upcoming boxers of a fighter who was intelligent inside and outside of the ring and was able to hang onto his money wisely. Quite often boxers are forced to come back from retirement because they have squandered their money and end up risking their health.

Was it his fault? Its not as though he did the scoring.

Hmmm, Waigro goes and Gordy comes back. I'd love to read a debate betwen the pair of them.

No offence Gordy. Good to have you back.

azania wrote:

Gordy wrote:I have never been quite able to forgive Holyfeild for the way he robbed Lewis in their first fight but he deserved credit for fighting him in a rematch he must surely have known he would lose! He was a very good boxer, not up there with Ali or Lewis but still a great fighter and a real servant to the sport. I think he deserves he one more shot and maybe I am not the only one that has s neaky feeling he could pull it off? George Foremna managed it in his old age in a far better heavyweight division and Holyfield has been written off before lets not forget! A certain mister Tyson and all that! They say all great fighters have one more big fight in them. It shows the need for boxers to manage their money more carefully. The likes of Lennox Lewis should be used as an example to upcoming boxers of a fighter who was intelligent inside and outside of the ring and was able to hang onto his money wisely. Quite often boxers are forced to come back from retirement because they have squandered their money and end up risking their health.

Was it his fault? Its not as though he did the scoring.

You might have a point but Don King was involved so it would not surprise me if the whole thing had been set up to shaft Lewis. Its the worst decision I have ever seen.

If it was set up to shaft Lewis, why make it a draw? The result was the best thing ever to happen to Lewis anyway. He was a nobody in USA until that result. It gave him headlines he didn't deserve.

azania wrote:headlines he didn't deserve.

Despite beating the tar out of Holyfield for what should have been a clear win.

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

azania wrote:headlines he didn't deserve.

Despite beating the tar out of Holyfield for what should have been a clear win.

Controversy sells. He had a wave of sympathy state side. Before he was just another foreign fighter. That "draw" elevated him and made him more known.

DAVE667 wrote:Remember a Chris Rock sketch (admittedly about 15 yrs old now), saying that black people people were often rich but rarely wealthy. His joke being that his bretheren, once rich and out of the gutter, were more keen on showing off their new found riches with "24 inch rims", garages of cars, massive houses etc rather than consolidating and building upon their bank balances.
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"Rich is those people who got a few dollars...wealthy is those folks who own the colour blue"

"Shaq is rich...the man who signs his cheque is wealthy."

The first of those two cracked me up the first time I watched/heard it, genius comedy. The second is funny too but kinda emphasises the point.

Gordy wrote:

ShahenshahG wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/19940312

Just for you gordy ahahaha

This is what I have been saying all along and it shows that I am right. Price knocks out this clown Audley Harrison who is one of the biggest hype jobs in living memory and he gets compared to Lennox Lewis? Embarrassing really. No wonder boxing is in the state its in. Some people never learn. Holyfield may aswell try and box Price if he is short of money. I think after his services to the sport he should be allowed a title shot. If hype jobs like Haye and Harrison can get one and boxers like Price are compared to Lewis then surely Holyfield has earned a shot and the chance to help himself financially. I would give him a good chance of managing to win. The heavyweight division is dire and people have a habit of writing great fighters off. Foreman was written off when he came back, Lewis was writen off against Tyson and Holyfield is no stranger to being written off either. Why not allow him one last chance before he retires? Could it be because he might actually have a chance of winning....?

Seriously?? C'mon Gordy, you've been exposed as a WUM, are you really that sad and pathetic to carry-on with the charade? Just come on a discuss boxing like a normal human being, you're not like this on any of the other boards.

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

azania wrote:headlines he didn't deserve.

Despite beating the tar out of Holyfield for what should have been a clear win.

You mean jabbing the tar out of Holyfield who was shot. Prime Holyfield for me beats Lewis.

monty junior wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

azania wrote:headlines he didn't deserve.

Despite beating the tar out of Holyfield for what should have been a clear win.

You mean jabbing the tar out of Holyfield who was shot. Prime Holyfield for me beats Lewis.

Blatant Gordy baiting.....

azania wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

azania wrote:headlines he didn't deserve.

Despite beating the tar out of Holyfield for what should have been a clear win.

Controversy sells. He had a wave of sympathy state side. Before he was just another foreign fighter. That "draw" elevated him and made him more known.

Bushwa! Lewis was very well known in the states for beating the "tar" outta Bowe in the Olympics and thus reducing him to a belt binning choker in the pros. The Tyson ducking him for Seldon the Olympic diver! You're (as usual) talking nonsense to say Lewis was "just another foreign fighter", absolute nonsense!

How did Bowe choke? he would have fought Lewis if he hadn't picked up the WBC belt, thats what his manager was campaigning against, not a fight with Lewis. Some people are so ignorant when it comes to this, even 20 years on and refer to a solid right hand in the olympics as something to do with it.

Tyson ducked him sure but can you blame him, the guy had had one fight in 5 years.

Super D Boon wrote:

azania wrote:

JabMachineMK2 wrote:

azania wrote:headlines he didn't deserve.

Despite beating the tar out of Holyfield for what should have been a clear win.

Controversy sells. He had a wave of sympathy state side. Before he was just another foreign fighter. That "draw" elevated him and made him more known.

Bushwa! Lewis was very well known in the states for beating the "tar" outta Bowe in the Olympics and thus reducing him to a belt binning choker in the pros. The Tyson ducking him for Seldon the Olympic diver! You're (as usual) talking nonsense to say Lewis was "just another foreign fighter", absolute nonsense!

It elevated him. Had he been awarded the decision people would have been talking about the 5th round where Lewis had an old man on the ropes but backed off. After the fight people started talking about that idiot woman who gave that round to Holy.

Bowe should have fought Lewis to avenge the Olympics defeat or at least tried to but he, along with his promoter knew it was too risky so he takes a couple of gimme fights before another Holyfield money spinner. Bad PR gaffe was Bowe binning the belt.

Yes I can blame Tyson! He was the champion so bins his belt for easy way out, he was the champion so yes you can blame him of course you can!

But my biggest gripe was Azania's dimissing Lewis as "another foreign fighter". I remember it well and the Americans certainly viewed Lewis as a heck of a lot more than that!

That's how I recalled it at the time. He was rated but because he was not a Yank, they thought less of him.

If people are going to tell complete dog doodie about Bowe not fighting Lewis for any reason other than a blatent duck then I'm sorry, but I can't argue with that because I don't argue with insane people.

I do think that Bowe certainly seemed a little intimidated by Lewis, at the very least. In his younger years, Bowe was generally a pretty amiable character, but every time he came across Lewis, or was asked about him, it seemed to flick some kind of switch inside his head.

I still consider it a great shame that we never saw that fight. Even after Bowe dumped the WBC strap, the window should have been there to make it a mouth-watering unification bout. I, for one, don't really think that Holyfield did quite enough to nick the WBA and IBF belts back from Bowe in their second fight. Had Bowe got the nod there, it's debatable whether a third fight between the pair would ever have been mooted, Lewis could have signed to fight him instead of the disasterous McCall bout, and the nineties Heavyweight scene, as a result, could have been a damn sight better than it was.

All ifs and buts though, sadly!

It's now being reported that he has changed his mind and is not retiring.

http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Benz/Benz_1017hh12.htm

Not sure how reliable this site is for news though.

I gather Holyfield has delayed his retirement as he feels the only reason the Klits haven't rung is purely because Evander has had his phone cut off and they couldn't get through.

He's managed to get a pre-paid mobile now and has his fingers crossed.