Headline: “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 understand 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 trong 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”.

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