JAMES DAVIES MEDIA: James Davies interviews Evander Holyfield

James interviews 'gentle giant' Evander

“Muma’s whipping meant I didn’t end up like Tyson”

After being raised in the “ghetto”, Evander Holyfield recalls his incredible journey and how his “Muma’s whippings” meant he didn’t end up like Tyson, the man who infamously bit off and spat out a chunk of his ear, and the ‘animal’ he is about to face once again in this years biggest bout.

Evander Holyfield may not be the “prettiest”, like Muhammad Ali, or the meanest, like Mike Tyson, but he is a boxer who epitomises the sport like no other. He has won the World Heavyweight Championship a record four times and is chasing the dream of a fifth title.

Sitting quietly with a can of Cola, he was surrounded by hundreds of boxing gloves that he was in the middle of signing. He immediately stood up to his full 6’ 3”. Although his imposing height wasn’t threatening, his stance certainly was. It seemed he had adopted the ‘toe to toe’ standing position boxers use while in the ring, into his everyday life, which was intimidating to say the least.

It hasn’t always been this way though, he proudly boasts. “I wasn’t always the biggest, but I was the youngest of nine so I was tough”

Observing the ‘crème de la crème’ of sporting entertainment, one can easily understand why he is so successful, and it becomes easy to see why he's one of the most likeable boxers in the oft-maligned sport. He commands attention and his very presence creates an ‘air of authority’ which in turn makes for self assurance- which, in this business, is the most vital single factor for self-preservation. He explained to me: “In this business we must all love ourselves if we hope to succeed.”

Despite having millions of dollars in the bank and fame beyond belief, he is no ‘flash Harry’. Sat slouched in his chair, wearing a pair of jeans, boots and a chequered shirt he credits his mother, Laura Holyfield, for teaching him about Christian values and the honor in being humble. “My mother was very instrumental and taught me to respect other people.”

He explains his brother and sisters: “realise had they done more of what my mother had told them to do, they probably would have been successful as well.” Although refusing to go into too much detail, the gentle giant revealed some of his siblings had been on the wrong side of the law.

Holyfield, the youngest of nine said: “I’m just one woman away, (my mother), from being the same as Mike Tyson. My Mother said you go to school, you listen, you follow direction and you do what that teacher tells you do to. I would’ve ended up like him had my Muma not been so tough and strong.”

The man who's been called “God's champion”, was never supposed to make anything of his life. He was told over and over again that he was too poor, too inarticulate, and too Black to break the grip of poverty and despair. But armed with a strong faith in succeeding, a strong self belief, and a strong jaw, Holyfield defied the odds, and rewrote boxing history, by earning more than $150 million.

Living by the philosophy that: “no one chooses his start, but everyone can choose his finish”, Evander amazingly went from being paid a mere $2.65 an hour for his first job at the age of 17 working for Epps Aviation in Atlanta, to an eye watering $34 million, in 1997, to fight Mike Tyson for the second time in Las Vegas, which he admits was “the largest amount ever paid for a single performance in any field.”

Holyfield had knocked out ‘Mad Mike’ in their first fight and was set to do it again, until Tyson bit off and spat out a chunk of his ear. It was found on the bloodied canvas and given back to the champion in an iced plastic bag as he was rushed to hospital.

After leaping out of his seat, he explained: “It was painful. I was shocked, because it’s not something you expect.” However it was not the first time he had experienced the sensation of his flesh being bitten. Holyfield sounded briefly confused as he repeated “I’ve been bitten a lot of times. I lived in a neighbourhood that if you had to fight somebody and you were frightened, they would bite you to just get away. So when people bite you they give up, they can’t handle it. So I didn’t take it as anything over than he wanted to get out. He quit, he didn’t want to fight anymore.”

Despite winning only six of his 14 bouts since 1999, he explains: “Being bitten isn’t so much painful, more sort of shocking because you don’t expect them to do it. Getting hit is a lot more painful, than someone biting you. Although you bleed, it’s not as painful as fighting the whole fight.”

Tyson feasted on him so ferociously that the stunned referee that night, Mills Lane, told Holyfield he should change his nickname from ‘The Real Deal’ to The Real Meal.

Although Holyfield, won the fight against his raging and disqualified opponent, he is now set for a third encounter with ‘Iron Mike’. He explains: “I realised if I want to be Heavyweight Champion, I have to attract the champions to fight me. If I fight Mike Tyson, I would do that.”

Although many boxing insiders, and even Holyfield's family and friends, believe he should retire, he’s not thinking about calling it quits. “People are telling me, ‘Evander, you've made a lot of money. Your best bet is to get on out of boxing before you get hurt. You don't want to be walking around like these other fighters. We love you and we really care about you. We think you're the only one who may have some sense.’ But I can't walk away. I have to retire as undisputed heavyweight champion. I know that I am supposed to. I know that I can. It's a matter of being patient.”

The boxer says one secret to his success has been his approach to life. “It’s impossible to be me. But you can be yourself and achieve what I’ve achieved if you listen, follow direction, and not quit. God made everyone special. You just have to realise how special you are by working hard at what you want to achieve.”

As we left the back room of the bookstore, where he had completed a signing session, Evander shook my hand and waved goodbye. “Take care James”.

Interview transcript:

You have already become Heavy weight Champion of the world, as well as winning a gold medal at the Olympics. What is next for you and do you have any more goals or ambitions you wish to achieve?

I want to end as Heavy Weight Champion of the world but my ultimate goal is to give as many underprivileged kids the opportunity to reach their goals through the Holyfield Foundation.

Where did it all begin? How did you get into boxing? Did you have any early influences who pushed you to become a champion?

I was the youngest of nine in my family, and I started at the boys club. I just wanted to be successful. This man told me I could be the Heavy Weight Champion of the World, when I was eight years old and just sixty five pounds. I believed him and I asked my Mom and she said yea if you don’t quit. I didn’t quit and Twenty years later I was Heavy Weight Champion of the World.

Did you have this believe in your ability, and where did this drive for success come from?

My Mother was instrumental in me not quitting. When I was eleven years old things weren’t going my way so I told my Mom I quit. My Muma said she didn’t raise a quitter so she said to go back, and I went back. This happened quite a few times, but my mother explained to me that just because things aren’t going your way doesn’t mean you just give it up. Just make some adjustments, which I did and I realised the key to life is, if you love something and don’t give up you can over come it.

Where does your desire to come back and box come from? You have already been highly successful?

I never stopped. I was told I had a heart condition, and I was able to prove to them that I didn’t have a bad heart. I realised the most important thing was to end as Champion.

How did these hurdles affect you personally? Was there ever a point you wanted to quit?

It was a misdiagnosis. I messed up my shoulder and the doctor said it was my heart, which it wasn’t. They over medicated me and gave me too much morphine, which put a lot of pressure on my heart and caused me to have a heart attack. But I never wanted to quit.

What were the early days like? Did you best everyone? Were you the biggest, the strongest?

I wasn’t always the biggest, but I was the youngest of nine so I was tough anyway, because things were real hard. But I was very good at sports. I wouldn’t say I was better than everyone else, I just had power. I always wanted to be the very best because I was the youngest one and all my brothers and sisters were better than me, and it was a struggle to keep up with them when they were four or five years older.

What do your family think of your achievements?

They’re happy for me. But they realise had they done more of what my Mother had told them to do, they probably would have been successful as well.

What were you like in school?

I was very dedicated in school, but I wasn’t a very smart student. My Mother only had a Six Grade Education, and my Father didn’t go to school at all, so she was very keen I learned to read. I’m just one woman away, my mother, from being the same as Mike Tyson. Muma’s whippings meant I didn’t end up like Tyson. My Mother said you go to school, you listen, you follow direction and you do what that teacher tells you do to. My mother was very hard on me, but she would always say there are always going to be people good at things you’re not, but there are going to be things you’re good at that they’re not. My mother just said be the very best you can be. No one chooses his start, but everyone can choose his finish.

What was it like to have your ear bitten by Mike Tyson, and what were your thoughts and feelings at the time?

It was painful (laughs). I was shocked, because it’s not something you expect. I’ve been bitten a lot of times. I lived in a neighbourhood that if you had to fight somebody and you were frightened, they would bite you to just get away. So when people bite you they give up, they can’t handle it. So I didn’t take it as anything over than he wanted to get out. He quit, he didn’t want to fight anymore.

How does that pain compare to anything else you’ve experienced while boxing?

Being bitten isn’t so much painful, more sort of shocking because you don’t expect them to do it. Getting hit is a lot more painful, than someone biting you. Although you bleed, it’s not as painful as fighting the whole fight.

It has been reported you and Mike Tyson are to have a rematch sometime this year? What are your reasons for wanting to get back in the ring with Mike?

It wasn’t really my reasons, he approached me wanting to do it. I realised if I want to be Heavy Weight Champion, I have to attract the champions to fight me. If I fight Mike Tyson, I would do that. The pay day would be so big that the Champion would say how in the world are they making more money than me. So they would want to fight the winner of that match to make some money.

What is the proudest moment of your career?

One of my proudest moments is beating Mike Tyson because at the time he was the guy you had to beat to be considered the best. And I did it. But I have so many proud moments because I have been the Champion so many times.

What does it feel like being Heavy Weight Champion? Can you explain it in words?

To be the very best in the world is big. To be the very best in your class is one thing, but the best in the world is a whole other thing. It allowed me to feel good about myself because I didn’t quit, and became the best fighter the world knew about.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m a people person and I like helping people. I like helping people for the simple reason because if nobody helped me I wouldn’t be the person I am today. My mother was very instrumental and put me in a position were I could receive good advice, as she taught me to respect other people. When I travel, and see the expression on peoples faces and hear the things they say that means so much to me. I just hope I inspire people to do their best.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become, if possible, the next Evander Holyfield?

It’s impossible to be me. But you can be yourself and achieve what I’ve achieved if you listen, follow direction, and not quit. God made everyone special. You just have to realise how special you are by working hard at what you want to achieve.

The National Student February 09