Holyfield Says his Best Days are yet to come

Published April 7, 2006 George Diaz, orlandosentinel.com The saddest thing about boxers is that they invariably lose their way. A strange disconnect with reality happens, and somehow they ignore the memo on the dangers of getting your skull pounded by another man's fist when you cannot defend yourself properly. Evander Holyfield looks in the mirror and sees a guy we knew a decade ago; the guy who stood up to boorish bully Mike Tyson in 1996 and '97 and fought hard against Lennox Lewis in 1999; the former heavyweight champion who earned the nickname "Warrior" through sweat, sacrifice and blood. Problem is, the man in the mirror can't fight any more. Too many battles and the natural encroachment of age make him vulnerable in a sport where a split-second hesitation can zap you senseless. "The best has yet to come," he said while making an appearance at a sports trade show in Orlando recently. "I'm old in one sense but I'm brand new in another sense. My better days ain't yet come yet." At 43, his greatest battles are staged outside the ring against a boxing community that no longer views him as a marketable commodity. He filed a federal lawsuit against Don King Productions Inc., Monday, accusing the DKP of failing to secure two fights per year as promised under a three-year contract. Holyfield said King breached the contract because he "is in poor health and is unable to promote (Holyfield) in the manner set forth in the agreement." Don will never be the King of compassion, but he knows -- along with the rest of the world -- that Holyfield simply can't fight any more. Holyfield has lost five of his last eight fights, including the last three. He has not stepped into the ring since November of 2004, when he lost a unanimous decision to journeyman Larry Donald. He had lost to James Toney and Chris Byrd in previous fights. Although the heavyweight division continues to be in shambles, Holyfield isn't even in that mix of mediocre pretenders. He embarrasses himself with convenient excuses of why he hasn't fought in 16 months, declaring in the lawsuit that he "suffered an incapacity" against Donald that lasted until June 2005. In a sport where men are often viewed as slabs of meat, boxing's shaky moral compass can't even help Holyfield find his way back. He was suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission after losing to Donald, and has yet to find work anywhere else in the other 49 states. Recent published reports indicate that Holyfield could join Roy Jones Jr. -- different fighter, similar circumstances -- in a fight card this summer in Boise, Idaho. Other potential sites include Fargo, ND; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Acapulco, Mexico; and Ixtapa, Mexico. Perhaps he assumes that if he traveled far enough away, his history wouldn't catch up with him. Trainers, business associates and even friends have cut ties with Holyfield because he can't see straight, and they care too much to embrace this sad masquerade. "I have a whole new team," Holyfield said. "I'm at the end of the rainbow. I'm fresh, willing to take this thing or the end." Read your history books, Evander. Final chapters in boxing are rarely a pleasant read. Muhammad Ali, Greg Page, and Wilfred Benitez are among boxing's discarded souls. Benitez, diagnosed with boxing dementia, lives in a special-needs facility in Puerto Rico with eight other patients suffering from mental disabilities. Benitez has significant short-term memory loss and needs help with basic chores, including using the restroom. The end of the rainbow is nowhere in sight