Tweet
By Brad Cooney
B-talk caught up with former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and discussed his impressive second round TKO over Jeremy Bates at the jammed packed American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. You don't want to miss what Holyfield had to say about his best showing in years, his future plans and much more.
BT - Evander thank you for joining b-talk, and congratulations on your 2nd round TKO over Jeremy Bates.
EH - Thank you.
BT - Evander how did it feel getting back into the ring after that long layoff ?
EH - I felt real good about this going into this match. It made me realize that I over-came the injuries, and I showed the people that age aint about nothing.
BT - Evander you threw nice combinations, something you lacked against Larry Donald. Your hand speed, and your foot-work all seemed to be back as well, do you attribute that to being healthy again ?
EH - Yes, that's how I would look at it. I want to thank God for giving me the strength to take care of myself. I was able to take care of all of the things that have been plauging me for the last 4 or 5 years.
BT - Evander I am guessing that it had to be gratifying for you to show all of your critics that you can still fight, give me your thoughts on that.
EH - You know? I guess everybody is happy when they have a good performance. The main thing is that I showed the people out there that talked about not being able to fight at a certain age that it can be done. It's not so much the age thing, it's how well you take care of yourself.
BT - How do you feel about your performance against Jeremy Bates, are you happy with your performance ?
EH - Well I am happy with how everything turned out, but you know? I still think that I can be better, but it's a start. I am happy with the stoppage.
BT - When do you want to get back into the ring Evander ?
EH - Well hopefully sometime this winter.
BT - Evander is there anything to the AP report that says your next opponent will be Sinan Samil Sam (26-3) ?
EH - Yes, he is definitely someone that we have our eyes on. If that fight can be made, I am sure that is what I will do.
BT - Evander, we both know that there are always going to be haters, and critics out there, but do you feel with this win against Bates that you silenced at least some of your critics ?
EH - Well it's not so much that, its more me personally expressing to the people that you have to be the very best that you can be, you have to make a decision in your life about the price you want to pay to be the best that you can be.
BT - Evander with what I saw between Hasim Rahman, and Oleg Maskaev, I think you are capable of beating Maskaev.
EH - I believe that I could, there is no doubt in my mind. I watched that fight, but it's not my goal to call out people's names. I just want whoever is the best at that time.
BT - Talk about the Dallas fans Evander, they showed you mad love.
EH - (Laughing) I truly believe that it gave me special inspiration how they supported the event. Man, they showed up, and they were happy, and excited to see me perform. I think that gave me the biggest thrill, people made up their minds to see me, and they were happy to see me. It's not that they we excited after the fight was over, but they were even excited when I first came out there. That was thrilling for me.
BT - When the lights came on and the screen showed you standing there, that place went crazy champ.
EH - That's what I am saying, that was exciting. I am a performer, and a fighter. When you perform you react to how the people treat you, I was happy to get that welcome, it felt good to be appreciated like that. It also showed that I made the proper decision as to where to have that fight (laughs). We take chances as fighters putting ourselves on the line to perform, we make money yes, but we take chances, and to get treated the way I got treated in Dallas made me very happy.
BT - Jeremy Bates accepted defeat with class, I thought he was a class act. What are your thoughts on Jeremy Bates ?
EH - That's what I am saying, that's pretty much what I am trying to get people to see that you don't have to be a bad guy. We are athletes that are willing to take the chance to show people that we are good. Each and every time you face someone there is going to be a winner, and there is someone that is going to have a set-back. Jeremy and myself showed first class sportsmanship as fighters. There was no bad talk, or any of that acting up, Jeremy showed a lot of class.
BT - What's your plan now champ? I know you want to get another Heavyweight Title, but how many fights do you think it will take you ?
EH - Well I bring something to the table that other don't bring. I bring Notoriety, and that is what allows you to make more money. Surely the champions out there want to make money. I will see if they want to take the chance against me, hopefully they will meet the needs of the fans. They call me the people's champ, so we'll see if the current champions will give the people what they want to see.
BT - Evander did you ever think that there would be 4 Russian, Eastern European Heavyweight Champions in your lifetime ?
EH - Well you know I don't look at where people are from. If you're the World Champion, you had an opportunity, and you took advantage of the opportunity before you. With me, I think all men are equal, if you train for days, and years, and get the opportunity, and you have the desire, you can be the very best.
BT - Out of the 4 current Heavyweight Champions, who do you think you match-up against the best ?
EH - I would say Oleg Maskaev, because styles make fights. Maskaev and also Serguei Lyakhovich because those two guys are fighters, they come right at you. I don't know much about that 7ft guy, I know Klitschko likes to stick and move, that doesn't look to be an interesting fight, but it could be, you never know.
BT - Evander is there anything you would like to say to your fans in closing ?
EH - I want to say to the fans that I am back, and hopefully you will get the opportunity to see me again before the year is out. I am looking forward to showing everyone that I am the real deal.
Comment