He has no shot, because he is shot. Has been for quite a while.
I love stories of triumph over adversity as much as the next guy - I loved 'Rudy' and 'The Natural' - but there comes a time when reality has to intercede.
I've been a fan of Holyfield's since the eighties, but at 43, and with too many wars behind him, he is his own worst enemy.
Evander has not beaten a viable opponent since Hasim Rachman in '02, and was actually suspended after his dismal performance against Larry Donald.two years ago.
Anyone who has a rudimentary understanding of the sport of boxing can take one look at him and know he's a tragedy waiting to happen, yet since he beat an insurance salesman several weeks ago, a fair number of people actually think he can chase these windmills successfully. Don Quixote would be proud.
He's NOT going to be a George Foreman, because he doesn't have Foreman's size and strength advantage.
However, America is a free country - he can destroy himself if he wants.
2006-09-08 15:15:22 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Boxing
Ric, God bless you and I wish you were right - but I think you're chasing those Windmills along with Evander.
2006-09-08 17:35:43 · update #1
BRENT F - worry not, Evander is not fighting for the money. He has made more money than any fighter in history.
And people I know that have met him say that he's very cheap. Guess he never forgot his youth.
He has ALL his money. And then some.
2006-09-09 07:53:18 · update #2
daProphet1 - I fear that the buy rates for this fight are not going to be non - existent.
There are plenty of people out there that slow down to look at car accidents.
2006-09-10 20:32:11 · update #3
Its Boxing! Anything can happen! Less credibility than wrestling!!!!
2006-09-08 15:21:24 · answer #1 · answered by Wounded duckmate 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I mostly agree with you Brad. Even though there are so many stories of people over doing it and getting really hurt, there are also stories of the impossible becoming possible, as you touched on. Three points I'll make for Holyfield. 1, Though he fought a complete nobody, he did move ALOT better than I thought he would. 2, If everybody who ever had their back to the wall against the impossible just gave up, the world, and specifically this sport would suck. 3, With the current champions out there, I believe Holyfield has a chance on the right night against a champ. OK, now onto agreeing with you. He has slurred speach. He's 43, by the time he gets a shot how old is he going to be? He has a goal to be UNIFIED champion... not A champion. With the polotics of boxing, THEN how old would he be? I believe part of his dream, if everything HAPPENS to work like clock work (no injuries, regular fights, winning... etc.), he POSSIBLY could win a belt. I doubt it, but he is a champion of champions. It is in his heart and no one should try to stop him but in the ring. Who knows, if boxing were predictable, would we love it so much? I believe in him, he has a chance, and that's all he wants.
2006-09-08 17:16:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not so sure that anyone *is* buying into his delusions that he can become heavyweight champion again. Most serious boxing fans I know of greeted his recent "comeback" against a handpicked and not very dangerous opponent in Jeremy Bates with groans. The problem is that he's got enough money to put fights together on his own, so as I noted elsewhere he can keep fighting until he wises up or--unfortunately the more likely scenario--can't fight anymore. Even if he can't get cleared to fight by a US state boxing commission there's plenty of places internationally that could care less about his well being or the good of the sport.
Hopefully, the nonexistant PPV buyrates of the forthcoming fight with Fres Oquendo will serve as the writing on the wall, even if he should prevail in the fight. At this point, I think that the only people that are buying into Evander's delusions are himself and those around him who are making a buck off of him.
2006-09-09 20:01:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm afraid that Evander actually believes he does have a shot but I don't. He just isn't the same fighter that he was 10 yrs ago. I just hope he doesn't get hurt too bad because his skills have eroded. I know that people have told him this, but he refuses to listen I guess.
2006-09-10 10:46:05 · answer #4 · answered by toughguy2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He's my favourite boxer of all time. He's beaten the best of the best in the business and proved people wrong time and time again by beating boxers stronger and bigger than him. But fathertime has come and even though he's got the biggest heart in boxing, the possibility of him becoming an undisputed champ is slim to none.
2006-09-08 21:03:38 · answer #5 · answered by tyrone b 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a shame, a damn shame. I hope he's not fighting for the money that would be even more tragic. This comeback will only soil a Hall of Fame career. Having said that I hope I am 100% wrong because he is one of my favorite fighters.
2006-09-09 07:12:35 · answer #6 · answered by Brent 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Age is the great equalizer in sports. If Evander won't give up, the sport of boxing should explain it to him by denying him a license.
2006-09-10 09:30:27 · answer #7 · answered by smitty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i think you overestimate how many people think he is capable of it. i've read alot of articles and interviews, news reports concerning his situation, and have read only a couple that think he even has an outside chance of getting one title. some have seen holyfield pull off what many people considered "impossible" 3 or 4 times, and therefore don't want to doubt him now.
2006-09-16 00:56:54 · answer #8 · answered by solodadd 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Americans are desperate because the Europeans are dominating the heavyweight division. The bottom of the barrel is all they have left.
2006-09-08 16:07:31 · answer #9 · answered by Chris L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋