Evander Holyfield, a boxing legend and the only four-time heavyweight world champion, faced some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, and Mike Tyson. However, he revealed that the hardest punch he ever took didn’t come from any of them.
Holyfield recalled in an interview with ESNEWS that during his 1991 fight against George Foreman, it felt like Foreman knocked out all his teeth with a single punch. Although Evander Holyfield won the fight by unanimous decision, Foreman’s power left a lasting impression.
“The guy that hit me the hardest was George Foreman. He hit me one time in the eleventh round, and I came back to the corner and I said, ‘Did he knock all my teeth out?'”, Holyfield revealed.
The bout took place during the second phase of George Foreman’s career when he had returned from retirement and was trying to become the oldest champion in history. Although Foreman lost that fight to Holyfield, he eventually fulfilled his dream by winning the world title at the age of 45, becoming the oldest champion ever.
On the other hand, Holyfield managed to stay undefeated against Foreman, but a year later, he was knocked out by Riddick Bowe. In 1993, he avenged that loss, but in the following years, he had mixed results when facing other heavyweight greats of his generation, including Lennox Lewis, with whom he drew in their first fight and lost in the rematch.
Evander Holyfield continued fighting until 2011, when he officially retired.
Despite briefly returning to the ring in 2021 for an exhibition fight, Holyfield was knocked out by Vitor Belfort in the first round, marking the final end of his career.
During his legendary career, Holyfield, now 62 years-old, stood out as the only undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. His professional record includes 44 wins, 10 losses, and 2 draws. Throughout his career, he faced many of boxing’s greats. In 1992, he defeated Larry Holmes by unanimous decision.
Likewise, in 1996, he regained the WBA title with a technical knockout victory over Mike Tyson. A rematch between Holyfield and Tyson took place in 1997, during which Tyson was famously disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear.
Holyfield was also considered for a fight against YouTube star KSI, according to Misfits Boxing co-president Mams Taylor. Holyfield had reportedly explored the possibility of fighting KSI, but the fight was rejected by the promoters.
It’s worth noting that Evander Holyfield’s interest in returning to boxing may have been sparked by the recent resurgence of his old rival, Mike Tyson, who has agreed to face YouTube star Jake Paul in a fight scheduled for November 15 of this year. The bout, which has generated significant controversy, will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.