AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > August > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHolyfield, legacy take a step down
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Dallas — Having been there for the upset of Mike Tyson, the “Real Meal” rematch, a “Fan Man’s” descent into an outdoor ring, a title loss that led to emergency room chaos and a misdiagnosed heart ailment and endless themes of “It’s over,” exceeded only by “It’s not over,” I figured I had seen it all in Evander Holyfield’s career.
Then on Thursday, Jeremy Bates handed me his business card: “J.W. Potts Insurance. Jeremy Bates, Agent.”
“I saw Evander’s house on ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ or something like that,” said Bates, Exhibit A of Andy Warhol’s 15 minutes theory. “Maybe I can land that one. That premium would be pretty good.”
The way Bates figures it, he’s taking a financial loss to become “a footnote” in Holyfield’s career. He’ll make $20,000 Friday night — far less after training and incidental expenses — as Holyfield’s hand-picked comeback meat when the two meet at American Airlines Center. Bates figures he could’ve made more selling insurance if he hadn’t taken two months off to train.
“But I told the guy I’d fight for half that,” he said. “I want to go to war one more time with my childhood idol.”
Figures Bates would take a discount. Everything else is marked down. Holyfield, who is promoting the fight, will be fortunate to make $500,000, his lowest take since fighting Michael Dokes 18 years ago. Tickets are modestly priced. The fight is mostly viewed as an unfortunate extension of Holyfield’s career.
He is fighting for the first time in 21 months. He has lost three straight bouts. The last win: four years ago, following two accidental head-butts that inflated Hasim Rahman’s forehead. It has been six years since he won a title bout (John Ruiz I), and nine since he looked impressive doing so (Michael Moorer II).
But this “final chapter” (his words) of Holyfield’s career is important enough to the 43-year-old that his entire family will be in attendance. That means 11 children and his wife, Candi.
They’ll watch. Others will cover their eyes.
“This is something nobody wants to see,” said Emanuel Steward, one of Holyfield’s former trainers. “What does it lead to?”
Steward trained Holyfield for his 1993 title rematch upset of Riddick Bowe. “Then he had the two wins over Tyson, and he was on top of the world,” Steward said. “I said at the time, ‘He can’t go any higher than this. He can only go down.’ That’s what’s happened. I really hate to see this.”
Steward believes Holyfield’s ability to operate with blinders on, a strength in the past, is now his weakness. “He never accepted anything people said after he took a terrible beating the first time against Bowe. He put it out of his mind. That’s what made him great. But if you can’t control that, it will destroy you. Great athletes sometimes are in denial. That can be good. But there are times when the body doesn’t agree with anything.”
Holyfield’s body looks fits as always, even at a relatively heavy 220. He says shoulder problems that have plagued him for six years are gone. Not that it should make a difference against Bates.
This isn’t supposed to be a fight. It’s supposed to be a setup. Bates has never been closer to the spotlight than Wheeling. He’s 21-11-1. That’s a suspicious record even before you break down the résumé.
Consider Bates’ 21 victories: Only six came over opponents with winning records (even at that, only 69-50-1 combined). Eight came over creatures who hadn’t won a fight (and for all we know, still haven’t). The composite record of his 21 victims: 135-200-1. Bates said he retired at the end of 2005 to start selling insurance. But fought in April (a loss) only because, “I really needed the money.”
Holyfield knows dropping Bates won’t prove a lot, even in the lightly regarded heavyweight division. But he needed a beatable opponent who would come at him — and possibly walk into what remains of his left hook.
“I had to put all my pride aside and say to myself, ‘I need to fight somebody different,’?” he said. “This isn’t like when I was heavyweight champion, and they put me in against the toughest guy they could find. If this is the last chapter of my book, I’m going to have to go down and build this back up.”
The question is how far he can separate himself from the bottom.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz
Comments
By Chris
August 17, 2006 11:02 PM | Link to this
I just hope Holyfield does not permanently injure himself before he realizes that his great skills have escaped him with age!! Go Holyfield and let this be the last one!!!!
By Lonnie
August 18, 2006 01:19 AM | Link to this
Evander: How much of this is about (MONEY)? SELL THE RANCH!!!!!and ride off into the sunset. Lonnie
By bigboi
August 18, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this
I personally don’t think any of it is about money, he’s surrounded himself with great people. I think he just wants to go out on top.
By James C
August 18, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this
I’ve watched Holyfield for most of my adult life and I do recall his olympic ordeal when he received a silver medal..thats where his heart and only heart derived him into a great fighter..Heart!! that surpasses most fighters skills…but the times come when we have to relinquish and accept what we have now become.Great fighters are sometimes a die hard
By Jack
August 18, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this
I like Evander and wish him well but he should be fined if he uses the head butt. How many victories would he have had he never used it?
By Steve
August 18, 2006 09:32 PM | Link to this
I think he needs the money to support all his illegitimate kids.
By James
August 18, 2006 10:42 PM | Link to this
People who buy tickets to this fight should be charged with “senior abuse!”