All Topics  
Evander Holyfield

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Evander Holyfield



 
 
Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is a professional boxer
Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar human weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds....
 from the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and a multiple world champion in both the cruiserweight
Cruiserweight

Cruiserweight is a Boxing weight classes in boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. Before the advent of the current cruiserweight class, "light heavyweight" and "cruiserweight" were sometimes used interchangeably in Great Britain....
 and heavyweight
Heavyweight

Heavyweight is a division, or boxing weight classes, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Organization, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing Organization....
 divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal". Holyfield won the bronze medal in the Light Heavyweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics

The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984....
 after a controversial disqualification in the semifinal. He is the only boxer to win the heavyweight title four times.

in Atmore, Alabama
Atmore, Alabama

Atmore is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, Alabama, United States. At the United States Census, 2000 the population was 7,676. According to the 2005 U.S....
, Holyfield and his family moved to Atlanta in the summer of 1964, at the age of two.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Evander Holyfield'
Start a new discussion about 'Evander Holyfield'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is a professional boxer
Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar human weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds....
 from the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and a multiple world champion in both the cruiserweight
Cruiserweight

Cruiserweight is a Boxing weight classes in boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. Before the advent of the current cruiserweight class, "light heavyweight" and "cruiserweight" were sometimes used interchangeably in Great Britain....
 and heavyweight
Heavyweight

Heavyweight is a division, or boxing weight classes, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Organization, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing Organization....
 divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal". Holyfield won the bronze medal in the Light Heavyweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics

The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984....
 after a controversial disqualification in the semifinal. He is the only boxer to win the heavyweight title four times.

Early life

Born in Atmore, Alabama
Atmore, Alabama

Atmore is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, Alabama, United States. At the United States Census, 2000 the population was 7,676. According to the 2005 U.S....
, Holyfield and his family moved to Atlanta in the summer of 1964, at the age of two. Holyfield began boxing at age 12 and won the Boys Club boxing tournament. At 13, he qualified to compete in his first Junior Olympics. By age 15, Holyfield became the Southeastern Regional Champion, winning this tournament and the Best Boxer Award. By 1984 he had a record of 160 wins and 14 losses, with 76 KO. When he was 20 years old, Holyfield represented the U.S. in the 1983 Pan American Games
Boxing at the 1983 Pan American Games

The boxing tournament at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela, from August 14 to August 29. The super heavyweight division was included for the first time....
 in Caracas, Venezuela, where he won a silver medal
Boxing at the 1983 Pan American Games

The boxing tournament at the 1983 Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela, from August 14 to August 29. The super heavyweight division was included for the first time....
 after losing to Cuban world champion Pablo Romero
Pablo Romero

Pablo Romero Hernandez is a former Cuban amateur boxer best known to win the light-heavyweight gold medal at the World Championships....
.

The following year, he was the National Golden Gloves Champion, and won a bronze medal in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics

The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984....
 in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is the largest city in the U.S. state of California and the List of United States cities by population in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles is rated as a beta global city, has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California....
 after a controversial disqualification in the second round of the semi-final against New Zealand
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous Islands of New Zealand, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands....
's Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry (boxer)

Kevin Michael Joseph Barry is a noted New Zealand former Boxing, boxing trainer, manager and occasional commentator....
.

Professional career


Light-Heavyweight

Holyfield started out professionally as a light heavyweight
Light heavyweight

In boxing, the light heavyweight division is the boxing weight classes between cruiserweight and super middleweight. The light heavyweight class has produced some of boxing's greatest champions: Muhammad Ali , Tommy Loughran, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore, Bob Foster, Michael Spinks, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr....
 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 13th, he knocked out Fred Brown in the first round in Norfolk, Virginia, and on April 20th, he knocked out Mark Rivera in two rounds in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Cruiserweight

Both he and his next opponent, Tyrone Booze
Tyrone Booze

Tyrone Booze is a former boxer who held the World Boxing Organization cruiserweight world championship.Booze became a professional boxer in 1982 and had mixed success during his early career....
, moved up to the cruiserweight
Cruiserweight

Cruiserweight is a Boxing weight classes in boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. Before the advent of the current cruiserweight class, "light heavyweight" and "cruiserweight" were sometimes used interchangeably in Great Britain....
 division for their fight on July 20, 1985 in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk is an independent city in the Virginia in the United States. With a population of 234,403 as of the United States Census 2000, it is Virginia's second-largest incorporated city....
. Holyfield won an eight-round decision over Booze. Evander went on to knock out Rick Myers in the first round on August 29th in Holyfield's hometown of Atlanta. On October 30th in Atlantic City he knocked out opponent Jeff Meachem in five rounds, and his last fight for 1985 was against Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis may refer to:* Anthony Davis , American composer and jazz pianist* Anthony Davis , American football running back* Anthony Davis , running back in the Canadian Football League...
 on December 21st in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the South Hampton Roads Hampton Roads area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay....
. He won by knocking out Davis in the fourth round.

He began 1986 with a knockout
Knockout

A knockout is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving strike ....
 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
World Boxing Association

The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level....
's world cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi
Dwight Muhammad Qawi

Dwight Muhammad Qawi is a former world boxing champion in the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004....
. In what was called by Ring Magazine as the best cruiserweight bout of the 1980s, Holyfield became world champion by defeating Qawi by a narrow 15 round split 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
Henry Tillman

Henry Durand Tillman is a former American boxer....
, who had beaten Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson, also known as Malik Abdul, is a retired United States Boxing. He was the List of undisputed boxing champions#Heavyweight and remains the youngest man ever to win a world heavyweight title at just 20 years old....
 twice as an amateur. He retained his belt by a knockout in seven rounds, and then went on to unify his WBA belt with the IBF
International Boxing Federation

The International Boxing Federation, or IBF, is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council and WBO....
 belt held by Ricky Parkey, knocking Parkey out in three rounds. For his next bout, he returned to France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, where he retained the title with an eleven round knockout against former world champion Ossie Ocasio
Ossie Ocasio

Osvaldo Ocasio, , better known as Ossie Ocasio and nicknamed Jaws, is a Puerto Rico who was a boxing and world Cruiserweight champion. He got his peculiar nickname after accidentally biting another boxer during a sparring session....
. In his last fight of '87, he offered Muhammad Qawi a rematch, and this time, he beat Qawi by a knockout in four.

1988 was another productive year for Holyfield; he started by becoming the first universally recognized world cruiserweight champion after knocking out the WBC's defending world champion Carlos De León
Carlos De Leon

Carlos De Le?n, also known as?"Sugar" De Leon, is a Puerto Rico former boxing who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice.? Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more....
 in eight rounds at Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
.

Heavyweight

After that fight, he announced he was moving up in weight to pursue the world heavyweight crown held by Tyson. His first fight as a Heavyweight took place on July 16, when he beat former Tyson rival James "Quick" Tillis by a knockout in five, in Lake Tahoe, NV (Tillis had gone the distance with Tyson). For his third and final bout of '88, he beat former world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas
Pinklon Thomas

Pinklon Thomas is a former boxer whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics.A native of Pontiac, Michigan who also lived on military bases in South Carolina and Washington state, Thomas eventually settled in Wyncote, Pennsylvania....
, also by knockout, in seven rounds.

Holyfield began 1989 meeting another former world heavyweight champion, Michael Dokes
Michael Dokes

Michael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxing in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."...
. This fight would also be named one of the best fights of the 1980s by Ring magazine, as best heavyweight bout of the 1980s. Holyfield won by a knockout in the tenth round, and then he met Brazil
Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the List of countries by population country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world....
ian champion Adilson Rodrigues
Adilson Rodrigues

Jos? Adilson "Maguila" Rodrigues is a former Brazilian heavyweight Boxing. He currently resides in S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo state, Brazil.He is a former World Boxing Foundation heavyweight champion....
, who lasted two rounds. His last fight of the 1980s was against Alex Stewart
Alex Stewart

Alex Stewart is a professional boxer, who represented Jamaica at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California....
, a hard punching fringe contender. Stewart shocked Holyfield early, with quick, hard punches, but eventually fell in eight.

In 1990, Holyfield beat Seamus McDonagh, knocking him out in four rounds. By this time, Holyfield had been Ring Magazine's Number 1 contender for two years and had yet to receive a shot at Tyson's heavyweight title.

Heavyweight champion: 1990-1992


Holyfield had been promised a title shot against Tyson in 1990. Before that fight could occur, in what many consider to be the biggest upset in boxing history, relatively unknown boxer, 29-year old, 231 lb. James Douglas defeated the 23-year old, 218 lb. Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson, also known as Malik Abdul, is a retired United States Boxing. He was the List of undisputed boxing champions#Heavyweight and remains the youngest man ever to win a world heavyweight title at just 20 years old....
 in ten rounds in Tokyo
Tokyo

, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people....
 to become the new undisputed heavyweight champion. Instead of fighting Tyson, Holyfield would be Douglas' first title defense.

They met on October 25, 1990. Douglas came into the fight at 246 lbs. and offered little in the fight against Holyfield, who was in great shape at 208 lbs. In the third round Douglas tried to start a combination with a big right uppercut. Holyfield countered with a straight right hand that was lightning quick, and Douglas went down for the count. Holyfield was the new undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. At the time of the knockout, Holyfield was ahead on all three judges' scorecards, all seeing it 20-18 for Holyfield.

In his first defense, he beat former and future world champion George Foreman
George Foreman

George Edward Foreman is an United States two-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, and entrepreneur.He is the oldest man ever to win a major heavyweight title when, at 45, he knocked out 26-year-old Michael Moorer in the 10th round....
 by unanimous decision in 12. The fight was billed as a "Battle for the Ages", a reference to the age differential between the young undefeated champion (28 years old), and the much older George Foreman (42 years old). Holyfield weighed in at 208 pounds and Foreman weighed in at 257 pounds. Foreman lost the fight by a unanimous decision, but surprised many by lasting the whole 12 rounds against a much younger opponent, even staggering Holyfield a few times and knocking him off balance in the seventh round.

Then a deal was signed for him to defend his crown against Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson, also known as Malik Abdul, is a retired United States Boxing. He was the List of undisputed boxing champions#Heavyweight and remains the youngest man ever to win a world heavyweight title at just 20 years old....
 in November 1991. Tyson delayed the fight, claiming he was injured in training, but was then convicted for the rape of Desiree Washington
Desiree Washington

Desiree Washington , a native of Coventry, Rhode Island, was an eighteen-year-old Miss Black America beauty pageant contestant representing her home state of Rhode Island when she was raped by boxer Mike Tyson in an Indianapolis, Indiana hotel room on July 19, 1991....
 and sentenced to six years in prison, so the fight did not happen at that time. They would fight in 1996 (Holyfield won by a TKO in 11) and a rematch in 1997 (Holyfield won by disqualification in 3, after Tyson bit both of his ears).

Holyfield made his next defense in Atlanta against Bert Cooper
Bert Cooper

Bert Cooper , also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper was a U.S. professional heavyweight boxing. Cooper was the first boxer to knock down Evander Holyfield and the only boxer to defeat former Olympian Willie DeWitt....
, who surprised him with a very good effort. Holyfield scored the first knockdown of the fight against Cooper with a powerful shot to the body, but Cooper returned the favor with a good right hand that sent Holyfield against the ropes; while not an actual knockdown, referee Mills Lane gave Holyfield a standing 8-count. Having suffered the first technical knockdown of his professional career, Holyfield regained his composure quickly and administered a beating that left Cooper still on his feet, but unable to defend himself. Holyfield landed brutal power shots, culminated by repeated vicious uppercuts that would snap Cooper's head back. Referee Mills Lane stopped the bout in the seventh.

In his first fight of 1992, he faced former world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former world heavyweight boxing champion. Holmes has spent the majority of his adult life in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the state's Lehigh Valley region, giving rise to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
, who was 42 years old, and had just pulled off an upset against Ray Mercer
Ray Mercer

"Merciless" Ray Mercer is an United States professional boxer and former World Boxing Organization World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina....
. During the bout, Holyfield suffered the first scar of his career with a gash opening up over his eye, the result of Holmes' elbow. The main difference in the fight was that the younger Holyfield could muster the energy to fight for the full three minutes of each round, while the older and more experienced Holmes could not. The fight ended with a unanimous decision in favor of Holyfield.

In the beginning of a trilogy of bouts with the 25-year old Riddick Bowe
Riddick Bowe

Riddick Lamont Bowe is an United States Boxing and former undisputed heavyweight champion. He is best remembered for his trilogy of fights with Evander Holyfield and two brutal bouts with Andrew Golota....
, who had won a silver medal in the 1988 Olympics, in the Super Heavyweight division, he suffered his first defeat when Bowe won the undisputed title by a 12-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Round Ten of that bout was named the Round of the Year by Ring Magazine. Holyfield was knocked down in round 11. He made the mistake of getting into a slugfest with the younger, bigger and stronger Bowe, leading to his defeat.

He began 1993 by beating Alex Stewart in a rematch, but this time over the 12-round unanimous distance.

Then came the rematch with Bowe on November 6, 1993. In what is considered by many sporting historians as one of the most bizarre moments in boxing's history, during round seven the crowd got off their feet and many people started to run for cover and yell. Holyfield took his eyes off Bowe for one moment and then told Bowe to look up to the skies. What they saw was a man in a parachute
James Miller (parachutist)

James Jarrett Miller also known as Fan Man was a parachute and paragliding pilot from Henderson, Nevada, Nevada, known for his outrageous appearances at various sporting events....
 flying dangerously close to them. The man almost entered the ring, but his parachute had gotten entangled in the lights, and he landed on the ropes and apron of the ring, and he was then pulled into the crowd, where he was beaten by members of Bowe's entourage. Bowe's pregnant wife, Judy, fainted and had to be taken to the hospital from the arena. Twenty minutes later, calm was restored and Holyfield went on to recover his world heavyweight titles with a close 12 round majority decision. The man who parachuted down to the middle of the ring became known as The Fan Man and the fight itself became known as the Fan Man Fight. His victory over Bowe that year helped Holyfield being named as ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year for 1993.

Losing the heavyweight crown again: Michael Moorer

His next fight, April 1994, he met former WBO light heavyweight and heavyweight champion of the world Michael Moorer
Michael Moorer

Michael Lee Moorer is a boxing who is a former light heavyweight and heavyweight World Champion....
, who was attempting to become the first southpaw to become the universally recognised world heavyweight champion. He dropped Moorer in round two, but lost a twelve round majority decision. When he went to the hospital to have his shoulder checked, he was diagnosed with a heart condition
Heart condition

Heart conditions can be either Acute or chronic , and either congenital or acquired.Heart Condition is a 1990 drama, comedy, action film with Denzel Washington and Bob Hoskins....
, and had to announce his retirement from boxing. It would later surface that the chairman of the medical advisory board for the Nevada State Athletic Commission believed his condition to be consistent with HGH use.

However, watching a television show hosted by preacher Benny Hinn
Benny Hinn

Toufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades" ? revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, This Is Your Day....
, Holyfield says he felt his heart heal. He and Hinn subsequently became friends, and he became a frequent visitor to Hinn's crusades. In fact, during this time, Holyfield went to a Benny Hinn crusade in Philadelphia, had Hinn lay hands on him, and gave Hinn a check for $265,000 after he was told he was healed. He then passed his next examination by the boxing commission. Holyfield would later state that his heart was misdiagnosed due to the morphine pumped into his body.

In 1995, Holyfield returned to the ring with a ten round decision win versus former Olympic gold medalist, Ray Mercer
Ray Mercer

"Merciless" Ray Mercer is an United States professional boxer and former World Boxing Organization World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina....
. He was the first man to knock down Mercer.

Holyfield and Bowe then had their rubber match. Holyfield knocked Bowe down with a single left hook but Bowe prevailed, by a knockout in eight. Holyfield would later claim that he contracted Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A, , is an Acute infectious disease of the liver caused by Hepatitis A virus, which is most commonly transmitted by the fecal-oral route via contaminated food or drinking water....
 before the fight.

Holyfield vs. Tyson I & II; The Bite Fight

1996 was a very good year for Holyfield. First, he met former world champion Bobby Czyz
Bobby Czyz

Robert Edward "Bobby" Czyz is a retired United States boxing. A New Jersey native of mostly Poles and Italian people descent, he is both a former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion....
, beating him by a knockout in six. Then, he and Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson, also known as Malik Abdul, is a retired United States Boxing. He was the List of undisputed boxing champions#Heavyweight and remains the youngest man ever to win a world heavyweight title at just 20 years old....
 finally met.

Tyson had recovered the WBC's and the WBA's world heavyweight championship and, after being stripped of the WBC title for not facing Lennox Lewis, defended the WBA title against Holyfield on November 9 of that year. Tyson was heavily favored to win, but Holyfield made history by defeating Tyson
Tyson-Holyfield I

Tyson-Holyfield I or Tyson vs Holyfield I, also billed as Finally, was a professional boxing match fought between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson on November 9, 1996 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nevada....
 in an 11th round TKO
Knockout

A knockout is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving strike ....
 decision and joining Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is a retired United States boxing and former three-time List of heavyweight boxing champions.As an amateur, Ali won a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in the light heavyweight division gold medal....
 and Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, Order of Canada, Order of the British Empire is a retired boxing who won gold for Canada at the Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics as an amateur boxing....
 as the only three men ever to become world heavyweight champions three times. He also joined Ali, former rival De Leon, Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson was a professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances at the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight....
 and Marvin Johnson
Marvin Johnson

Marvin Johnson is a former boxing from the United States, who fought in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, winning a bronze medal, and made his way up the professional boxing ranks in the light heavyweight division soon thereafter....
 among others, in the club of men who have reigned three or more times in the same division, with his victory.

Holyfield's next fight would also go into the annals of boxing as one of the most bizarre fights in history. Holyfield gave Tyson the rematch on June 28, 1997, in what became known as The Bite Fight. The infamous incident occurred in the third round, when Tyson bit Holyfield on one of his ears, and had two points deducted. The referee decided to disqualify Tyson initially, but after Holyfield and his doctor intervened saying they wanted to continue, relented and allowed the fight to go on. However, Tyson went on to bite Holyfield again, this time on the other ear. Tyson, with his teeth, tore off the top of his ear
Ear

The ear is the sense organ that detects sounds. The vertebrate ear shows a common biology from fish to humans, with variations in structure according to order and species....
 known as the helix and spitting the flesh out on the ring.

The immediate aftermath of the incident was greeted by instant bedlam. Tyson was disqualified and a melee ensued. Tyson claimed his bites were a retaliation to Holyfield's unchecked headbutt
Headbutt

A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead....
s, which had cut him in both fights.

Avenging the Moorer defeat

Next came another rematch, this time against Michael Moorer, who had recovered the IBF's world title. Holyfield knocked Moorer to the canvas five times and referee Mitch Halpern stopped the fight between the eighth and ninth rounds under the advice of physician Flip Homansky. Holyfield once again unified his WBA belt with the IBF belt by avenging his defeat to Moorer.

In 1998 Holyfield had only one fight, making a mandatory defense against Vaughn Bean
Vaughn Bean

Vaughn Bean is a professional boxer. Nicknamed "Shake and Bake", Bean is known for making several arguably undeserved challenges for heavyweight titles, each time coming up short....
, who was defeated by decision at the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome

The Georgia Dome is a stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. It has been the home stadium for the Atlanta Falcons since 1992, and is owned and operated by the State of Georgia....
 in the champion's hometown. For the first time, Holyfield's performance called into question whether age was diminishing his ability to continue as a championship fighter.

Holyfield vs. Lewis I & II

By 1999, the public was clamoring for a unification bout versus the WBC's world champion, Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, Order of Canada, Order of the British Empire is a retired boxing who won gold for Canada at the Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics as an amateur boxing....
 of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. That bout happened in March of that year. The bout was declared a controversial draw after twelve rounds, where it appeared to most that Lewis dominated the fight. Holyfield claimed his performance was hindered by stomach and leg cramps . Holyfield and Lewis were ordered by the three leading organizations of which they were champions to have an immediate rematch.

The second time around, in November of that year, Lewis became the undisputed champion by beating Holyfield via unanimous decision by three American judges. Holyfield said "I haven't felt this good after a fight since I was a cruiserweight," Holyfield said. "It makes me think I should have fought a little harder against Lennox. Maybe I'd be sore and sick, but I'd have the victory."

Trilogy with John Ruiz

In 2000, Lewis was stripped of the WBA belt for failing to meet lightly-regarded Don King fighter John Ruiz
John Ruiz

John ?The Quiet Man" Ruiz , currently residing in Las Vegas metropolitan area is a professional Puerto Rico-United States Boxing and former two-time WBA World Heavyweight champion.....
, having fought Ruiz's conqueror David Tua, and the WBA ordered Holyfield and Ruiz to meet for that organization's world title belt. Holyfield and Ruiz began their trilogy in August of that year, with Holyfield making history by winning on a controversial, but unanimous 12 round decision to become the first boxer in history to be the world's heavyweight champion four times. Holyfield blamed his lackluster performance on a perforated (broken) eardrum.

Seven months later, in March 2001, it was Ruiz's turn to make history at Holyfield's expense when he surprisingly managed to knock Holyfield down and beat him by a 12 round decision to become the first Hispanic
Hispanic

Hispanic is a term that historically denoted relation to the ancient Hispania . During the Modern Era, it took on a more limited meaning relating to the contemporary nation of Spain....
 ever to win the world's heavyweight title. On December 15 of that year, Holyfield challenged Ruiz for the title, in an attempt to become champion again. The fight was declared a draw, and John Ruiz maintained the WBA championship belt.

Holyfield vs. Byrd

2002 began as a promising year for Holyfield: in June, he met former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman
Hasim Rahman

Hasim "The Rock" Sharif Rahman , is an United States Boxing who became the heavyweight champion of the world by knocking out Lennox Lewis in 2001....
, to determine who would face Lewis next. Holyfield was leading on two of the three scorecards when the fight was stopped in the eighth round due to a severe hematoma
Hematoma

A hematoma, or haematoma, is a collection of blood outside the blood vessels, generally the result of hemorrhage, or more specifically, internal bleeding....
 on Rahman's forehead that was caused by a headbutt earlier in the fight. Holyfield was ahead, so he was declared the winner by a technical decision.

The IBF decided to strip Lewis of his belt after he didn't want to fight Don King-promoted fighter Chris Byrd
Chris Byrd

Chris Cornelius Byrd in Flint, Michigan where he attended Flint Northwestern High School is a 6'1" / 185.4 cm. tall Southpaw boxing, who was nicknamed "Rapid Fire"....
, instead going after Tyson, and declared that the winner of the fight between Holyfield and former WBO heavyweight champion Byrd would be recognized as their heavyweight champion. So, on December 14 2002, Holyfield once again tried to become the first man ever to be heavyweight champion five times when he and Byrd met, but Byrd came out as the winner by a 12-round unanimous decision.

Consecutive losses & New York suspension

On October 4, 2003, Holyfield lost to James Toney
James Toney

James "Lights Out" Toney is a professional boxing from Ann Arbor, Michigan....
 by TKO when his corner threw in the towel in the ninth round. At age 42, Holyfield returned to the ring to face Larry Donald
Larry Donald

Larry Ali Donald is a professional heavyweight boxer, who competed for the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain....
 on November 13, 2004. He lost his third consecutive match in a twelve round unanimous decision.

In August 2005, the New York Daily News
New York Daily News

The Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 703,137, as of March 30, 2008....
 reported that the New York State Athletic Commission had banned Evander Holyfield from boxing in New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
 due to "diminishing skills" despite the fact that Holyfield had passed a battery of medical tests.

Comeback

Holyfield was initially criticized for his ongoing comeback; but he is adamant that his losses to Toney and Donald were the result of a shoulder injury, not of old age. Holyfield had looked better in his first four fights since Donald, and appeared to have answered the critics who say that he lacks the cutting edge and ability to follow up on crucial openings that he had in his youth.

Holyfield defeated Jeremy Bates
Jeremy Bates (boxer)

Jeremy Bates is an United States heavyweight boxing. Nicknamed "The Beast", Bates was a moderately successful fighter who fought several other journeyman fighters of his era....
 by TKO on August 18, 2006 in a 10 round bout at American Airlines Center
American Airlines Center

The American Airlines Center is an arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood near downtown Dallas Dallas, Texas, Texas that is used for Ice hockey games, basketball games, Arena Football games, concerts and various other events....
 in Dallas, Texas. Holyfield dominated the fight which was stopped in the second round after he landed roughly twenty consecutive punches on Bates.

Holyfield defeated Fres Oquendo
Fres Oquendo

Fres Oquendo was born April 1 1973 in Puerto Rico, and is a professional heavyweight boxer.He had a successful amateur background and has shown huge potential as a pro....
 by unanimous decision on November 10, 2006 in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the second-largest city in the state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population. Located in , the city is a cultural and geographical gateway into the ....
. Holyfield knocked Oquendo down in the first minute of the first round and continued to be the aggressor throughout the fight, winning a unanimous decision by scores of 116-111, and 114-113 twice.

On March 17, 2007, Holyfield defeated Vinny Maddalone by TKO when Maddalone's corner threw in the towel to save their man from serious injury in the ring. A factor in the decision to do so was a cut on Maddalone's forehead caused by a headbutt by Holyfield earlier in the fight.

On June 30, 2007, Holyfield defeated Lou Savarese
Lou Savarese

Lou Savarese is a Boxing from Houston, Texas, whose boxing career has been filled with unusual circumstances....
, knocking the bigger and heavier Savarese down in the fourth and again in the ninth round, en route to a unanimous decision win. This was Holyfield's fourth win in ten months, two of them by KO. This victory finally set the stage for Holyfield's title fight, against Sultan Ibragimov
Sultan Ibragimov

Sultan Ahmed Magomedsaliovich Ibragimov, is a former WBO heavyweight boxing champion of Caucasian Avars Dagestani Muslim descent....
, for the WBO heavyweight title.

On October 13, 2007, Holyfield was defeated by Sultan Ibragimov. Although unable to defy his critics by winning a fifth heavyweight title, Holyfield refused to be backed up by the young champion and even rattled him in the closing part of the 12th round. The fight was mostly uneventful, however, with neither fighter being truly staggered or knocked down. In most exchanges, Sultan was able to land two punches to Holyfield's one. The end result was a unanimous decision for Ibragimov, with scores of 118-110, and 117-111 twice.

After the defeat, Holyfield stated that he will not retire, making many fear for his health if he continues to fight.

He told BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland

BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the BBC, the Public broadcasting of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who are advised in Scotland, by the Audience Council Scotland....
's Sports Weekly "I'm gonna fight, be the heavyweight champion of the world one more time. Then I'm gonna write another book and tell everybody how I did it." On December 20, 2008 he fought, at the Hallenstadion
Hallenstadion

The Hallenstadion is a multifunctional arena in the Switzerland city of Zurich. Designed by Bruno Giacometti, it opened on July 18, 1939, and was renovated in 2005....
 in Zürich Switzerland, the WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev
Nikolai Valuev

Nikolai Sergeyevich Valuev is the reigning two-time World Boxing Association heavyweight boxing champion, a title he shares with Uzbeki boxer Ruslan Chagaev....
 for a paycheck of $600,000, the lowest amount he has ever received for a championship fight. At the weigh-in, he weighed 214 pounds, Valuev weighed a career low of 310 pounds.

Valuev defeated Holyfield by a highly controversial majority decision after a relatively uneventful bout. One judge scored the bout a draw 114-114, while the others had Valuev winning 116-112 and 115-114. Many analysts were outraged at the decision, thinking Holyfield had clearly won. There is already talk of a rematch in 2009.

The WBA did their own investigation into the controversial decision; "As the World Boxing Association (WBA) always cares about and respects the fans’ and the media’s opinion, the Championship Committee has ordered a panel of judges to review the tape of the fight between Nikolai Valuev and Evander Holyfield, for the WBA heavyweight title," read a statement from the WBA. The organization also expressed that they "will give a decision accordingly in the following weeks." Although it's unclear as to what actions the association could take once their investigation concludes, many speculate that an immediate rematch will most likely be the scenario.

Allegations of steroid and HGH use

On February 28, 2007, Holyfield was anonymously linked to Applied Pharmacy Services, a pharmacy in Alabama that is currently under investigation for supplying athletes with illegal steroids and human growth hormone (HGH). He denies ever using performance enhancers.

Holyfield's name does not appear in the law enforcement documents reviewed. However, a patient by the name of "Evan Fields" caught investigators' attention. "Fields" shares the same birth date as Holyfield - Oct. 19, 1962. The listed address for "Fields" was 794 Evander, Fairfield, Ga. 30213. Holyfield has a very similar address. When the phone number that, according to the documents, was associated with the "Fields" prescription, was dialed, Holyfield answered.

On March 10, 2007 Holyfield made a public announcement that he would be pursuing his own investigation into the steroid claims in order to clear his name.

Holyfield was again linked to HGH in September 2007, when his name came up following a raid of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, FL. , Signature Pharmacy is under investigation for illegally supplying several professional athletes with steroids and HGH.

Life outside the ring

Holyfield is the younger brother of actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
 and dancer, Bernard Holyfield, and currently lives and trains in Fayette County
Fayette County, Georgia

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia . As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144 ....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
 with his third wife
Wife

A wife is a female spouse, or participant in a marriage....
 Candi and their two children; he has at least eleven children.

By 1992, Holyfield was already a household name, announcing multiple products on television
Television

Television is a widely used telecommunication mass-media for transmitting and receiving moving , either monochrome or color, usually accompanied by sound....
, such as Coca Cola and Diet Coke
Diet Coke

Diet Coke is a sugar-free soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States on Independence Day in 1982 as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark....
. He also had a video game released for the Sega Genesis and the Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear

The Sega Game Gear is a handheld game console which was Sega's response to Nintendo's Game Boy. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
: Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing
Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing

Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield's Boxing is a boxing video game that was developed by ACME Interactive and published by Sega in 1992. It was released for the Sega Genesis and Sega Game Gear consoles....
. After his conversion, he started professing his Christianity
Christianity

Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
 everywhere, reminding the public before and after his fights that he is a born-again Christian.

In 1996 Holyfield was given the opportunity to carry the Olympic torch when it was on its way to his hometown of Atlanta for that year's Olympics. October 4 of this year he was married to Dr. Janice Itson, with whom he had one child. Holyfield would later divorce Janice in 2000. In 1998 Holyfield was forced to announce that he believed he had as many as nine children out of wedlock, and his marriage was affected by that announcement.

He founded Real Deal Records
Real Deal Records

Real Deal Records was an American recording company founded by boxer Evander Holyfield sometime in the late 1990s. The musicians signed to Real Deal Records include Saison, a popular Filipino people singer, NuWine, an inspirational R&B singer, and Exhale , a trio of unique R&B singers....
 which signed the briefly successful group Exhale
Exhale (band)

Exhale was a unique R&B female music trio comprising Tasha Belton, Tiko George, and Toya Watson of Fairmont Heights High School in Prince George's County, Maryland....
.

On September 22, 2007 Holyfield released the Real Deal Grill cooking appliance via TV infomercials. The Real Deal Grill is manufactured by Cirtran Corp.

On July 3, 2003, Holyfield wed for the third time, marrying 24 year old student Candi Calvana Smith.

Holyfield's popularity has led to numerous television appearances for the boxer. His first television show appearance was the Christmas special of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1990, playing himself. In 2005, Holyfield came in fifth place on ABC's Dancing with the Stars with his partner Edyta Sliwinska
Edyta Sliwinska

Edyta Sliwinska is a professional ballroom dancer. She is best known for her appearances on the American version of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars ....
. He also made an appearance on the original BBC Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing

Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom dance and Latin dancing dances....
 "Champion of Champions" showdown, which featured the final four teams from the 2005 edition of the British series, plus two celebrities from spinoff versions, paired with British professional dancers, one featuring Holyfield paired with Karen Hardy, and Rachel Hunter paired with Brendan Cole. Holyfield also had minor roles in three movies during the 1990s, Summer of Sam
Summer of Sam

Summer of Sam is a 1999 in film crime film-drama film based around the Son of Sam serial murders. It was directed and produced by Spike Lee....
, Necessary Roughness
Necessary Roughness (film)

'Necessary Roughness' is a comedy starring Scott Bakula and Sinbad . The film was directed by Stan Dragoti, who has also directed the movies Mr....
, and Blood Salvage (which he also produced). He made a guest appearance on Nickelodeon's
Nickelodeon (TV channel)

Nickelodeon is an United States cable television network owned by Viacom International, founded in 1977 as Pinwheel. The Pinwheel name was used until 1981....
 Figure It Out
Figure It Out

File:Brett figure it out.jpgFigure It Out was a television game show hosted by Summer Sanders that originally aired on Nickelodeon . Kids with special skills or unique achievements compete as contestants on the show while a panel of four Nickelodeon celebrities compete against the clock as they try to guess the predetermined phrase that...
 during its third season in 1994. He appeared once in an episode of Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb

Phineas and Ferb is an Emmy-nominated Disney Channel Cartoon series that centers on two stepbrothers and their beyond-the-impossible adventures in their backyard during summer vacation....
. In the episode he is an animated character but the producers wanted to make the most of Holyfield's ear, so his animated character was only given half an ear.

On August 13, 2007, Holyfield was confirmed to participate in a boxing match at World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly traded, privately controlled integrated arts and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales....
's Saturday Night's Main Event
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event results

This is a list of results from every edition of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event ....
 against Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy

Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is an United States Professional wrestling, currently working for World Wrestling Entertainment on their WWE Friday Night SmackDown WWE Brand Extension....
. He replaced Montel Vontavious Porter, who had to pull out after being diagnosed with a heart condition. The fight ended in a no-contest after MVP entered the ring and Holyfield knocked him out after MVP started verbally abusing him.

In late 2007 and early 2008, Holyfield was among a number of celebrities to be doing television
Television

Television is a widely used telecommunication mass-media for transmitting and receiving moving , either monochrome or color, usually accompanied by sound....
 ads for the restaurant chain Zaxby's
Zaxby's

Zaxby's is a Franchising chain of fast casual restaurants that operates primarily in the Southeastern United States. In this chain there are about 450 locations....
.

In June 2008 a legal notice was placed by Washington Mutual Bank stating that Holyfield's $10 million, 54,000 square foot, 109 room, 17 bathroom suburban Atlanta estate would be auctioned off on July 1, 2008 due to foreclosure. Adding to his financial problems, Toi Irvin, mother of his 10 year old son, filed suit for non-payment of two months child support (he pays $3,000 per month for this child). A Utah landscaping firm also has gone to court seeking $550,000 in unpaid debt for services.

Professional boxing record

|- |align="center" colspan=8|42 Wins (27 knockouts, 13 decisions, 1 retired, 1 disqualification), 10 losses (2 knockouts, 7 decisions), 2 Draws |- | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Res. | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Rd., Time | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes |-align=center |Loss |Nikolai Valuev
Nikolai Valuev

Nikolai Sergeyevich Valuev is the reigning two-time World Boxing Association heavyweight boxing champion, a title he shares with Uzbeki boxer Ruslan Chagaev....
|Decision |12 |2008-12-20 |align=left| Hallenstadion
Hallenstadion

The Hallenstadion is a multifunctional arena in the Switzerland city of Zurich. Designed by Bruno Giacometti, it opened on July 18, 1939, and was renovated in 2005....
, Zurich |align=left| |-align=center |Loss |Sultan Ibragimov
Sultan Ibragimov

Sultan Ahmed Magomedsaliovich Ibragimov, is a former WBO heavyweight boxing champion of Caucasian Avars Dagestani Muslim descent....
|Decision |12 |2007-10-13 |align=left| Khodynka Arena, Moscow, Russia
Moscow

Moscow is the capital and the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia of the Russian Federation. It is also the largest European cities and metropolitan areas, with the Moscow metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Lou Savarese
Lou Savarese

Lou Savarese is a Boxing from Houston, Texas, whose boxing career has been filled with unusual circumstances....
|Decision |10 |2007-06-30 |align=left| El Paso, TX
El Paso, Texas

El Paso is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, Texas, United States, and part of the . According to the United States Census Bureau 2006 population estimates, the city had a population of 606,913....
| |-align=center |Win |Vincent Maddalone
Vincent Maddalone

Vincent Maddalone is an United States boxing and is a fringe contender in the heavyweight division.Maddalone, a hard-hitting brawler, turned pro in 1999 and is a popular fighter that is often featured on ESPN....
|TKO |3 , 2:48 |2007-03-17 |align=left| Corpus Christi, TX
Corpus Christi, Texas

Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, Texas, it also extends into Aransas County, Texas, Kleberg County, Texas, and San Patricio County, Texas counties....
| |-align=center |Win |Fres Oquendo
Fres Oquendo

Fres Oquendo was born April 1 1973 in Puerto Rico, and is a professional heavyweight boxer.He had a successful amateur background and has shown huge potential as a pro....
|Decision |12 |2006-11-10 |align=left| San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the second-largest city in the state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population. Located in , the city is a cultural and geographical gateway into the ....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Jeremy Bates
Jeremy Bates (boxer)

Jeremy Bates is an United States heavyweight boxing. Nicknamed "The Beast", Bates was a moderately successful fighter who fought several other journeyman fighters of his era....
|TKO |2 , 2:56 |2006-08-18 |align=left| Dallas, TX
Dallas, Texas

Dallas is the third largest city in the state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population in the United States.The city, with a population of over 1.3 million, is the main economic center of the 12-county Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex which contains 6.1 million people, and is the fourth-largest United States metropolitan area...
| |-align=center |Loss |Larry Donald
Larry Donald

Larry Ali Donald is a professional heavyweight boxer, who competed for the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain....
|Decision |12 |2004-11-13 |align=left| New York City, NY
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
|align=left| |-align=center |Loss |James Toney
James Toney

James "Lights Out" Toney is a professional boxing from Ann Arbor, Michigan....
|TKO(Corner Stoppage) |9 , 1:42 |2003-10-04 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
| |-align=center |Loss |Chris Byrd
Chris Byrd

Chris Cornelius Byrd in Flint, Michigan where he attended Flint Northwestern High School is a 6'1" / 185.4 cm. tall Southpaw boxing, who was nicknamed "Rapid Fire"....
|Decision |12 |2002-12-14 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is a City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, New Jersey, United States. Famous for its boardwalk, casino, sandy beaches, shopping centers, spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, and as the inspiration for the board game Monopoly , Atlantic City is a resort community located on Absecon Island on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Hasim Rahman
Hasim Rahman

Hasim "The Rock" Sharif Rahman , is an United States Boxing who became the heavyweight champion of the world by knocking out Lennox Lewis in 2001....
|Decision |8 |2002-06-01 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ | |-align=center |style="background: #dae2f1"|Draw |John Ruiz
John Ruiz

John ?The Quiet Man" Ruiz , currently residing in Las Vegas metropolitan area is a professional Puerto Rico-United States Boxing and former two-time WBA World Heavyweight champion.....
|Draw |12 |2001-12-15 |align=left| Mashantucket, CT |align=left| |-align=center |Loss |John Ruiz |Decision |12 |2001-03-03 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |John Ruiz |Decision |12 |2000-08-12 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Loss |Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, Order of Canada, Order of the British Empire is a retired boxing who won gold for Canada at the Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics as an amateur boxing....
|Decision |12 |1999-11-13 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |style="background: #dae2f1"|Draw |Lennox Lewis |Draw |12 |1999-03-13 |align=left| New York City, NY |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Vaughn Bean
Vaughn Bean

Vaughn Bean is a professional boxer. Nicknamed "Shake and Bake", Bean is known for making several arguably undeserved challenges for heavyweight titles, each time coming up short....
|Decision |12 |1998-09-19 |align=left| Atlanta, GA
Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the Capital and most populous city in Georgia , as well as the 33rd largest city in the United States of America with a population of 519,145....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Michael Moorer
Michael Moorer

Michael Lee Moorer is a boxing who is a former light heavyweight and heavyweight World Champion....
|TKO |8 , 3:00 |1997-11-08 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson, also known as Malik Abdul, is a retired United States Boxing. He was the List of undisputed boxing champions#Heavyweight and remains the youngest man ever to win a world heavyweight title at just 20 years old....
|Disqualification |3 |1997-06-28 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |-align=center |Win |Mike Tyson |TKO |11 , 0:37 |1996-11-09 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Bobby Czyz
Bobby Czyz

Robert Edward "Bobby" Czyz is a retired United States boxing. A New Jersey native of mostly Poles and Italian people descent, he is both a former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion....
|TKO |5 |1996-05-10 |align=left| New York City, NY | |-align=center |Loss |Riddick Bowe
Riddick Bowe

Riddick Lamont Bowe is an United States Boxing and former undisputed heavyweight champion. He is best remembered for his trilogy of fights with Evander Holyfield and two brutal bouts with Andrew Golota....
|TKO |8 , 0:58 |1995-11-04 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV | |-align=center |Win |Ray Mercer
Ray Mercer

"Merciless" Ray Mercer is an United States professional boxer and former World Boxing Organization World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina....
|Decision |10 |1995-05-20 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ | |-align=center |Loss |Michael Moorer |Decision |12 |1994-04-22 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Riddick Bowe |Decision |12 |1993-11-06 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Alex Stewart |Decision |12 |1993-06-26 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ | |-align=center |Loss |Riddick Bowe |Decision |12 |1992-12-13 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former world heavyweight boxing champion. Holmes has spent the majority of his adult life in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the state's Lehigh Valley region, giving rise to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
|Decision |12 |1992-06-19 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Bert Cooper
Bert Cooper

Bert Cooper , also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper was a U.S. professional heavyweight boxing. Cooper was the first boxer to knock down Evander Holyfield and the only boxer to defeat former Olympian Willie DeWitt....
|TKO |7 , 2:58 |1991-11-23 |align=left| Atlanta, GA |align=left| |-align=center |Win |George Foreman
George Foreman

George Edward Foreman is an United States two-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, and entrepreneur.He is the oldest man ever to win a major heavyweight title when, at 45, he knocked out 26-year-old Michael Moorer in the 10th round....
|Decision |12 |1991-04-19 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ |align=left| |-align=center |Win |James Douglas |KO |3 , 1:10 |1990-10-25 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Seamus McDonagh |TKO |4 |1990-06-01 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Alex Stewart |TKO |8 |1989-11-04 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Adilson Rodrigues
Adilson Rodrigues

Jos? Adilson "Maguila" Rodrigues is a former Brazilian heavyweight Boxing. He currently resides in S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo state, Brazil.He is a former World Boxing Foundation heavyweight champion....
|KO |2 , 1:29 |1989-07-15 |align=left| Stateline, NV
Stateline, Nevada

Stateline is a census-designated place on the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada, Nevada, United States. The population was 1,215 at the United States Census, 2000....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Michael Dokes
Michael Dokes

Michael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxing in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."...
|TKO |10 , 1:41 |1989-03-11 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Pinklon Thomas
Pinklon Thomas

Pinklon Thomas is a former boxer whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics.A native of Pontiac, Michigan who also lived on military bases in South Carolina and Washington state, Thomas eventually settled in Wyncote, Pennsylvania....
|Retired |7 , 3:00 |1988-12-09 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ | |-align=center |Win |James Tillis |TKO |5 , 3:00 |1988-07-15 |align=left| Stateline, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Carlos De León
Carlos De Leon

Carlos De Le?n, also known as?"Sugar" De Leon, is a Puerto Rico former boxing who made history by becoming the first Cruiserweight to win the world title twice.? Subsequently, he kept breaking his own record for the most times as Cruiserweight champion by regaining it twice more....
|TKO |8 , 1:08 |1988-04-09 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Dwight Muhammad Qawi
Dwight Muhammad Qawi

Dwight Muhammad Qawi is a former world boxing champion in the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004....
|KO |4 , 2:30 |1987-12-05 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Ossie Ocasio
Ossie Ocasio

Osvaldo Ocasio, , better known as Ossie Ocasio and nicknamed Jaws, is a Puerto Rico who was a boxing and world Cruiserweight champion. He got his peculiar nickname after accidentally biting another boxer during a sparring session....
|TKO |11 , 1:24 |1987-08-15 |align=left| Saint-Tropez, France
Saint-Tropez

Saint-Tropez is a commune in France of the Var d?partement in France in southern France , located on the French Riviera. Although it is known today for its famous and wealthy guests, its history with the iconic Brigitte Bardot, and its role in the liberation of Southern France in World War II, this commune has a long history....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Ricky Parkey |TKO |3 , 2:44 |1987-05-15 |align=left| Las Vegas, NV |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Henry Tillman
Henry Tillman

Henry Durand Tillman is a former American boxer....
|TKO |7 , 1:43 |1987-02-14 |align=left| Reno, NV
Reno, Nevada

Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, Nevada, United States. A 2006 estimate indicated that the city's population had increased to 214,853, but ranked Reno as the third largest city in the state following Las Vegas, Nevada, and Henderson, Nevada....
|align=left| |-align=center |Win |Mike Brothers |TKO |3 |1986-12-08 |align=left| Paris, France
Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
| |-align=center |Win |Dwight Muhammad Qawi |Decision |15 |1986-07-12 |align=left| Atlanta, GA |align=left| |-align=center |Win |Terry Mims |KO |5 |1986-05-28 |align=left| Metairie, LA
Metairie, Louisiana

Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Louisiana, United States. The population was 146,136 at the United States Census, 2000....
| |-align=center |Win |Jesse Shelby |KO |3 |1986-04-06 |align=left| Corpus Christi, TX | |-align=center |Win |Chisanda Mutti |TKO |3 , 1:37 |1986-03-01 |align=left| Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster is a city in the South Central Pennsylvania part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania....
| |-align=center |Win |Anthony Davis |TKO |4 |1985-12-21 |align=left| Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the South Hampton Roads Hampton Roads area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay....
| |-align=center |Win |Jeff Meachem |TKO |5 , 1:02 |1985-10-30 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ | |-align=center |Win |Rick Myers |TKO |1 |1985-08-29 |align=left| Atlanta, GA | |-align=center |Win |Tyrone Booze |Decision |8 |1985-07-20 |align=left| Norfolk, VA
Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk is an independent city in the Virginia in the United States. With a population of 234,403 as of the United States Census 2000, it is Virginia's second-largest incorporated city....
| |-align=center |Win |Mark Rivera |TKO |2 , 2:48 |1985-04-20 |align=left| Corpus Christi, TX | |-align=center |Win |Fred Brown |TKO |1 , 1:56 |1985-03-13 |align=left| Norfolk, VA | |-align=center |Win |Eric Winbush |Decision |6 |1985-01-20 |align=left| Atlantic City, NJ | |-align=center |Win |Lionel Byarm |Decision |6 |1984-11-15 |align=left| New York City, NY |

See also

  • List of cruiserweight boxing champions
    List of cruiserweight boxing champions

    This is a chronological List of World Cruiserweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations:* The World Boxing Association , founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association ,...
  • List of heavyweight boxing champions
    List of heavyweight boxing champions

    This is a chronological list of world heavyweight boxing champions since the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry rules:...


  • List of WBC world champions
    List of WBC world champions

    List of WBC world champions is a table showing the world champions certificated by World Boxing Council ....


External links