By Mark Vester
Speaking with BBC's Inside Sport, Evander Holyfield, 45, became defensive over the criticism regarding a potential third bout with Mike Tyson, 41. Holyfield revealed last week that Jeff Fenech, on behalf of Tyson, contacted him to inquire if he was interested in a trilogy bout. Following Holyfield's disclosure, criticism rained down from all corners of the sport.
Holyfield holds two wins over Tyson, an eleventh-round TKO in 1996 and third-round disqualification win in the 1997 rematch after Tyson was penalized for biting off a piece of Holyfield's ear.
British heavyweight Danny Williams told BBC Sport that Holyfield-Tyson III would be "a freak show", and "an insult to everybody's intelligence."
Lennox Lewis also says a third meeting should never take place.
"I wouldn't give Tyson a hope," Lewis said. "Evander's obviously the better fighter but I'd rather see him do something else. Why fight the same fight again? We all know who would win."
Holyfield on the other hand said that he was going to do what he wanted to do, and feels that a third Tyson bout is a good thing.
"It's up to me as an adult what I want to do. Tyson wants to regain his character. I want a good showing, he wants a good showing - so the best man would come out on top. It was my choice to forgive him," said Holyfield. "I forgave him that same night he bit me. I had to forgive him because it would make me want to do something bad to him."
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