NO. 8 EVANDER HOLYFIELD
Record: 44-10-2 (29 KOs)
Years active: 1984-2011
Title reigns: Four (1990-92; ’93-94; ’96-99; 2000-01
Among his victims: Buster Douglas, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer, Mike Tyson (twice), Michael Moorer
Background: Holyfield had hall of fame credentials before he had his first heavyweight fight, having cleaned out the cruiserweight division. Then he fought another 23 years in the sport’s glamour division, becoming the only man to reign four times as heavyweight champion and almost doing it a fifth time even though he was undersized for the weight class. “The Real Deal” wasted no time making his mark as he stopped the first seven big men he faced, including Buster Douglas in three rounds to become undisputed heavyweight champion in 1990. He remained among the best in the division well into his 40s and was at the center of drama multiple times. He and Riddick Bowe engaged in a classic heavyweight trilogy, with the bigger Bowe winning twice. He knocked out then-titleholder and favored Mike Tyson in the 11th round in 1996, his most spectacular victory, and then was the victim in the ear-bite fight with Tyson the following year. He went 0-1-1 in two competitive fights with a prime Lennox Lewis. And, at 46, he seemed to do enough to take giant Nikolay Valuev’s title – which would’ve been his fifth reign – but fell short on the cards. Bottom line: Holyfield took his opponents to hell, win or lose.