By Mesuli Zifo
The rematch for the battle of the old men is being discussed between legendary Evander Holyfield and Francois Botha for South Africa in a date in November.
Promoter Rodney Berman confirmed that negotiations have started to bring Holyfield to SA to face Botha in a rematch of their 2010 April clash when Botha surrendered his lightly regarded WBF crown via an eight round stoppage defeat.
Botha redeemed himself last weekend when he stopped the heavy favorite Flo Simba in the sixth round at Emperors Palace in South Africa to give his waning career a massive boost.
Before the clash Berman had promised the winner a date with the 48-year-old Holyfield (44-10-2, 29) and after Botha’s stunning victory over the previously unbeaten youngster, he says he is on course to fulfill his promise.
“We are talking to Holyfield and he has pretty agreed on anything but we need to tie some loose ends regarding financial terms,” Berman said.
Should the fight come to fruitions it will mark the second time the “Real Deal” is fighting on the road following his trip to Denmark where he stopped fellow old horse Brian Nielsen in 10 rounds just last month.
Holyfield is held in high regard in SA following his visit here after his infamous ear-munching incident by Mike Tyson in their 1997 clash.
Berman reckons Holyfield’s rematch against Botha would sell out the Emperors Palace venue in similar fashion as Botha’s bout against Simba sold out the venue.
The 42-year-old Botha (48-5-3, 29 Kos) has already started throwing the verbal jabs at Holyfield insisting the outcome of the rematch would be different this time around.
“I was beating up Holyfield in our last fight but I made a terrible mistake and he capitalized on it,” he said.