Evander Holyfield’s Age Is Irrelevant

[BKM-]

Here we go again.

[The Scientist]

Not only is Holyfield completely shot and clearly showing the begining effects of pugilistic dementia in his slurred speech, but he is also not a 4 time heavyweight champion.

I agree 'The Real Deal' is showing clear signs of Pugilistica Dementia, but he IS a four time Heavywieght champ, that's why he is a legend and you can't take that away from him. I do believe his best days are behind him, but Evander has a HUGE heart, I mean the man boxed most of his life with a hole in his heart, literaly and in really poor health. I do not know how far he can go though.

[K-DOGG]

Holyfield has won the Heavyweight title four times.

No, he won the World Heavyweight Championship on 2 occasions against Douglas and Bowe.

The "title" he won against Tyson was a paper belt as was the one against Ruiz.

Foreman was champion when he beat Tyson and Lewis was champ when he beat Ruiz.

[Kid Achilles]

Thank you K-Dogg. The only 3 time heavyweight champion is Ali, and so far no one has bested that fear.

[K-DOGG]

Thank you K-Dogg. The only 3 time heavyweight champion is Ali, and so far no one has bested that fear.

Facts are facts, my man. Too many people believe the hype.

[Kid Achilles]

PS Before I begin to sound disrespectful, I admire Holyfield more than anyone in the heavyweight division now and believe he was a man of tremendous character and talent within the confines of the boxing ring. I won't comment on his conduct out of the ring, but inside he was an incredible heavyweight.

He was by no means a 4 time world heavyweight champion though, unless you count each of those paper titles as being THE BELT, in which case there are multiple world champions in each weight class at all times, which to me defeats the whole purpose of calling someone the "champion".

[fyodor]

Whether he was champ 2 times or 4 times is irrelevant; it was a long time ago. Reporters are asking about his age because there is no way his body is as it once was. He should hang them up before he really gets hurt. Nobody ever seems to learn from the past.

[Kid Achilles]

I think it is relevent though, extremely relevent, because to say he won the title four times is deceptive and cheapens Ali's accomplishment of winning the title three times. Holyfield won it twice, as did Patterson and Foreman. For the sake of history and preserving accuracy, you can't just embellish things and say "whatever, two times, four times, does it matter"? You have to always think about the future and how people will perceive the current era. It's our job, living in this era as boxing fans, to destroy myths and inaccuracies before they grow out of hand with time.

Out of curiosity, here's a question to the readers of this thread: was Roy Jones ever THE heavyweight champion of the world?

[K-DOGG]

I think it is relevent though, extremely relevent, because to say he won the title four times is deceptive and cheapens Ali's accomplishment of winning the title three times. Holyfield won it twice, as did Patterson and Foreman. For the sake of history and preserving accuracy, you can't just embellish things and say "whatever, two times, four times, does it matter"? You have to always think about the future and how people will perceive the current era. It's our job, living in this era as boxing fans, to destroy myths and inaccuracies before they grow out of hand with time.

Out of curiosity, here's a question to the readers of this thread: was Roy Jones ever THE heavyweight champion of the world?

First paragraph: well said.

Second Paragraph: I ain't touchin' that with a ten-foot cattle prod!

[fyodor]

Sorry. I'm never clear in my writing. I meant that when he gets in the ring in 2006 it's irrelevant that he ever was the champ. He's not the same fighter. He's not going to be the champ again.