Special feature: Greatest heavyweights of the modern era – Page 9

EVANDER HOLYFIELD
Years active: 1984-2011
Record: 44-10-2 (29 KOs)
Championship reign(s): 1990-92; 1993-94; 1996-99; 2000-01
Biggest victories: Pinklon Thomas, Michael Dokes, Alex Stewart (twice), Buster Douglas, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson (twice), Michael Moorer, John Ruiz, Hasim Rahman
Biggest losses: Bowe (twice), Moorer, Lennox Lewis, John Ruiz, Nikolay Valuev
Background: If Holyfield had been a natural heavyweight, he might’ve been the greatest of all time. As it was, the former cruiserweight titleholder had an exceptional career against men generally bigger than he was. “The Real Deal,” a bronze medalist in the 1984 Olympics, had ability and uncommon durability but perhaps was best known for his inspiring fighting spirit and unwavering belief in himself. He destroyed Buster Douglas, the conqueror of Mike Tyson, in three rounds to begin the first of a record four reigns as a titleholder in 1990. He lost his last title to John Ruiz 11 years later, in 2001. In between, he and Riddick Bowe engaged in an epic three-fight series (Bowe won twice), he fought Lewis twice (going 0-1-1) and beat Mike Tyson twice. In the first fight, Holyfield was as much as a 25-1 underdog yet stopped Tyson in 11 rounds. That was followed by the ear-biting fight. Holyfield was still competitive well into his 40s, always convinced that he was capable of becoming champion again.