The Real Deal recalls the battles he had with big-name rivals
Thursday 31 July 2014 21:21, UK
Evander Holyfield was the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He won the heavyweight world title five times.
So when he dropped in on a Ringside Special you knew we were in for a treat and a look back at one of boxing's most amazing careers.
He has had his ups and his downs, his victories and his defeats and of course, his friends and his enemies, but the Real Deal did it all with a smile on his face.
Here are just a few snippets and clips we took from an hour-long special...
On the Brit...
"I said something I shouldn't have said. I didn't think I could knock anybody out in the third round! How on earth am I going to knock out a guy that big and that strong? I said it out of anger. I said I was going to do it but I couldn't - but I was going to try!"
On making it...
"I remember walking down to the ring and what happened? 'Dreams can come true'. I was walking to the ring saying it to myself, dreams can come true, the only difference you are going to get an A or an F - if you do it you get an A, if you fail, it’s an F. It was 20 years ago that I was told I could be the heavyweight champion of the world and I made it, my mind going I am not working for 20 years to get an F. And of course I made it."
On fan man...
"Bowe would always go hard and run out of gas and I beat the daylights out of him then finally, I was busting him up, he had a cut on his head, his nose was bleeding, he had the simple look and all of a sudden... here comes a bloke who crashed into the ring! I was so annoyed I wanted to jump on him and hit him myself!"
On the greatest...
"I was taught about reality and the reality was they were much older, so if they were going to get in the ring and fight you, saying 'I'd have done this to you when I was younger' it was not about then. It was about now. I never got caught up in that when people asked me because it was about two different ages."
On the ear...
"Coming in to fighting Tyson this prophet told me: 'Evander something bad is going to happen". So I asked him what? 'Somewhere in your facial area, but you've got to keep your mind on the game. You understand?’. I said yes and said to my cornerman: ‘If something happens you are going to be responsible for that!’."
