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.