Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former
professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2011. He reigned as the
undisputed champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions,
being the first and to date only boxer in history to do so, which
earned him the nickname of “The Real Deal”. Holyfield is the only
four time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBA, WBC, IBF,
and lineal titles from 1990 to 1992; the WBA, IBF, and lineal titles
again from 1993 to 1994; the WBA title from 1996 to 1999; the IBF
title from 1997 to 1999; and the WBA title for a fourth time from
2000 to 2001.
As an amateur, Holyfield represented the United
States at the 1984 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the
light heavyweight division. He turned professional at the age of 21,
moving up to cruiserweight in 1985 and won his first world championship
the following year, defeating Dwight Muhammad Qawi for the WBA title.
Holyfield then went on to defeat Ricky Parkey and Carlos de Leon to
win the WBC, IBF, and lineal titles, thus becoming the undisputed
cruiserweight champion. He moved up to heavyweight in 1988, later
defeating Buster Douglas in 1990 to claim the undisputed WBA, WBC,
IBF, and lineal heavyweight titles.
He successfully defended
the undisputed heavyweight title three times, scoring victories over
former champions George Foreman and Larry Holmes, before suffering
his first professional loss to Riddick Bowe in 1992. Holyfield regained
the crown in a rematch one year later defeating Bowe for the WBA and
IBF titles.
Professional career
Light Heavyweight
Holyfield started
out professionally as a light heavyweight with a televised win in
six rounds over Lionel Byarm at Madison Square Garden on November
15, 1984. On January 20, 1985 he won another six round decision over
Eric Winbush in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On March 13, he knocked
out Fred Brown in the first round in Norfolk, Virginia, and on April
20, he knocked out Mark Rivera in two rounds in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Both
he and his next opponent, Tyrone Booze, moved up to the cruiserweight
division for their fight on July 20, 1985 in Norfolk, Virginia. Holyfield
won an eighth round decision over Booze. Evander went on to knock
out Rick Myers in the first round on August 29 in Holyfield’s hometown
of Atlanta. On October 30 in Atlantic City he knocked out opponent
Jeff Meachem in five rounds, and his last fight for 1985 was against
Anthony Davis on December 21 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He won by
knocking out Davis in the fourth round.
He began 1986 with a knockout in three rounds over former world cruiserweight challenger Chisanda Mutti, and proceeded to beat Jessy Shelby and Terry Mims before being given a world title try by the WBA Cruiserweight Champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi. In what was called by The Ring as the best cruiserweight bout of the 1980s, Holyfield became world champion by defeating Qawi by a narrow 15 round spit decision. He culminated 1986 with a trip to Paris, France, where he beat Mike Brothers by a knockout in three, in a non-title bout.
In 1987, he defended his title against
former Olympic teammate and Gold medal winner Henry Tillman, who had
beaten Mike Tyson twice as an amateur. He retained his belt, winning
by seventh-round knockout, and then went on to unify his WBA belt
with the IBF belt held by Ricky Parkey, knocking Parkey out in three
rounds. For his next bout, he returned to France, where he retained
the title with an eleven-round knockout against former world champion
Ossie Ocasio. In his last fight of 1987, he offered Muhammad Qawi
a rematch and, this time, he beat Qawi by a knockout in only four
rounds.