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A “Warrior’s” last stand. An exclusive Interview with Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield.   By Mike Cassell The Philadelphia Boxing Report / myfoxphilly.com September 24, 2007

I spoke with the 4 time heavyweight world champion, as he prepares to obtain an incredible 5^th world title against a very tough Sultan Ibragimov. He is 44 years old, and is acutely aware of the history surrounding this bout. He has lived his life as the underdog. He was an Olympic champion, but still they doubted his skill. He was the greatest cruiserweight of all time, but they still doubted his power. He is the only 4 time heavyweight champion in boxing history, and they are doubting his ability yet again to make it 5. Evander Holyfield is not fighting for money. He is fighting for something else. He is fighting for history.

Mike Cassell PBR:

Evander, you are arguably one of the Greatest Heavyweights to ever put on a pair of gloves. A four time world champion, you have achieved so much. To use a great line from the movie “Rocky Balboa”, what’s the matter, You haven’t peaked yet?

Holyfield:

(laughs) Well you know Mike, I always set goals for myself. Everybody needs goals. I want to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world AGAIN. I know I have the ability to do it.

Mike Cassell PBR:

You have recently had shoulder surgery .You have claimed all long that your shoulder was a big reason you lost some big fights, including your last 3 losses. Has that surgery contributed to your recent win streak?

Holyfield:

Yes, absolutely yes. I actually hard the surgery in 2000, they told me to take time off to recover, and I didn’t. It was the first time I had ever lost 3 fights in a row.  Now that I have fully recovered from the surgery, I don’t need to take as much time off after a fight, and I am just doing what I am doing, and that’s winning.

Mike Cassell PBR:

Not to degrade Chris Byrd, Larry Donald, or who I like to refer to as the “blown up” middleweight James Toney, It had to be disheartening to lose to those guys, knowing how good you have been in the past, and how good you can be.

Holyfield:

It was, it really was. When you’re my age, and you been around as long as I have. You fight people you can beat. (laughs) It humbled me, they were good fighters, and it was bad judgment on my part, me thinking I am so much better than somebody, that I could beat them, even with my shoulder injury. And those guys are not bad fighters, guys like Chris Byrd and Larry Donald, have shown the significant things they can do. So for me to go in their with that arrogance, it just didn’t work out for me.

Mike Cassell PBR:

What do you know about Sultan Ibragimov, and what have you done in your training to prepare for him?

Holyfield:

You know, when you look at a fighter, you look at his skills, but you also look at his history. You look at the man. Here is a guy, he is from Russia. He didn’t grow up with no silver spoon. He had to work hard for everything, and everything he has done, has been through hard work. Skills are great, but if you don’t have the work ethic, the most skilled fighter doesn’t win all the time, because they don’t have the heart. This guy does have the heart. You have these fighters who may not be the best technically, but they are coming over here (America) and fighting real hard and winning. That’s who I want to fight.

Mike Cassell PBR:

Do you feel that this is dejavu all over again?  You seem to have more detractors than backers in the media. Just as you did before your historic battle with Riddick Bowe, and before you totally destroyed Mike Tyson. Does that drive you?

Holyfield:

Well, that is pretty much the way it has always been, since I was a kid. That’s the whole exciting and challenging part about this thing. People have their choice to believe. I believe. Sometime people look at a guys age, they don’t look at people as individuals, they say he is 44 years old, he cant do what he used to do. I am not one of those guys who doesn’t have many choices. I have many choices, but when I choose to do something, I am going to do something I can really win at. Why would I try to do it 5 times, if I didn’t really think I could do it? I know what they might be thinking, but I am not fooling myself. Who plays a game they think they can’t win?

Mike Cassell PBR:

Good point. 

Holyfield:

It is the most important point.

Mike Cassell PBR:

The one thing that has been a constant in your career, is that you have always had a desire to unify the titles. The fighters holding them now, all from the former Soviet Republic, seem to have no desire to do so. And who…(Evander Interrupts passionately)

Holyfield:

Mike, Wait., listen,  it always comes down to one man, one guy. It comes down to one guy that is the best. There can be 4 guys that share the championship, but at some point, we have to find out who is the best. You got the title, but you will have nothing to show for. Do you know what I’m saying?

Mike Cassell PBR:

I hear you, What I always hear from the other champions is that it has to do with money, promoters, managers, venue etc.., I guess what everyone wants to know is, If you win this title, will you make a real attempt to go after these guys, regardless of the things I just mentioned?

Holyfield: 

Well, YES, of course. What people forget is that, I was a champion at the age of 28, and I understand that fighters have managers, that manage and think for them. A manager wants to hold onto to that title for a long time.  A manager knows the longer he holds on, the more money he makes for himself. The fighter doesn’t always think like that. The manager can walk around, actually thinking he had something to do with his fighter being the champ. He don’t get in the ring, he don’t take no punches. A fighter needs to find out for himself. You know, there is a long history of that kind of stuff.

The manager doesn’t make a fight, because he doesn’t think you can win. You cant blame the fighter all the time Mike. This is the way the game is. It should be, when you are world champion, you get to fight anybody.

Mike Cassell PBR:

Were the rumors that you were actively seeking a fight with the recognized heavyweight  champion Wladimir Klitschko true 

Holyfield:

Yes, I would fight him. Remember, numbers are low. People know me, more than they know him, even though he is the champ. People want to see me try to beat him. Then you have Shelly Finkel, his manager, say we will guarantee you 2 million, and Klitschko will get 20 million. Is that right? I’m like, Ill wait. I will wait until the time is right. So they know my heart, they know how bad I want to beat him, so they want to rob me. So I said, next time I come for you, Ill be a champion too. They do not  like to deal with successful older fighters, because older fighters are not going to get cheated or undervalued anymore. As fighters, we work hard to get to where we are, and to let people make you less than you are, it is not right.  

Mike Cassell PBR:

It’s funny. I here what your saying. I am around a lot of young fighters, and managers. I know there are some really good managers here in Philly were I am involved in broadcasting a boxing series CSN.  

Holyfield: 

There are so good ones (managers), but there are some that hold up unification. I mean, some of these guys have been around so long, they have become the very thing they used to hate. But things can change, if we work hard to make those changes. Someone has to show the integrity to say no, im not going to do it that way. Even for me, when I first started in boxing. They would tell me things I could do in the ring that I wouldn’t get caught doing. It was illegal. But I wouldn’t do it. I stood up. I said no. You being from Philadelphia, you should know Mike. Most of the trainers in Philly taught that  stuff. You know, hip punching until your legs are numb. I never cried about it, but I didn’t do it. I fought the best fighters to come out of Philly, and I beat them all, when I was young, and I did it the right way.

Mike Cassell PBR:

Well it shows your character. As you look back on your career, is there anything you would changed, or done differently? 

Holyfield:

Well, my first fight, my very first fight, I fought the Pennsylvania state champion Lionel Byarm. That guy gave me the blues (laughs). He was tough. You Philly guys should know, you were probably there. I came into the game with Philadelphia trainer George Benton  and Lou Duva, and when I look back, I think, wow, I took a lot of risks. I fought Dwight Muhammad early on too, and he was a tough fighter. I look back and say, without those fights, I wouldn’t have become who I am today, but you have to take the good and the bad. Would I have done it different? Maybe, I don’t know. I was in some real wars, long before people knew who I was. I guess if I went back and I could change anything, I probably wouldn’t be me.

Mike Cassell PBR:

Thank you for taking the time as you go for this historic shot at greatness. You are always honest and upfront, and the fans in Philadelphia have so much respect for your heart, skill, and most importantly, your will. Good Luck on October 13^th. 

Holyfield:

Thanks Mike, god bless.

Four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield seeks to become a five-time world heavyweight champion on October 13, 2007, when he travels to Moscow, Russia to challenge WBO world heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov in a 12 round bout that will be broadcast in the U.S. on PPV beginning at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT at a suggested retail price of $34.95. This is bargain for the type of fight you will be getting. No respectable sporting fan should miss this!!