Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield is back...maybe.

by Ysreal Rangel

Last night (Friday), Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield made his return to boxing on FSN's "The Best

Damn Boxing" against Jeremy "Beast" Bates - he really looked more like "Punching Bag" Bates, but

hey, he showed up.

Holyfield returned after a 21-month long layoff from boxing during which time he had his boxing license

revoked. A decision I agree with after watching him lose his last few fights and decision that most fight

critics, journalists, and all around fight fans generally agreed with.

With too many ex-boxers to name that have boxed past their prime or just took too many beatings only to

end up a little off and with permanent nerve or brain damage, we count on the licensing boards to "get the

backs" of fighters who have surrounded themselves with people who don't want to see it all end (selfish or

not) and the ever dreadful, self-destructive "PRIDE" that seems to get in the way at times of the right

decision.

Last night before the fight, I found myself wishing Holyfield would just hang it up, go out with his motor skills

in tact, be a commentator or something. As a fight fan, I looked at his recent losses as him just getting too

old, not the "oh he sucks now." To be honest, I would have been disappointed though, if Holyfield had retired

prior to this fight only to be remembered by the fans, journalists, and so called boxing experts for his recent

downfalls - and not his fights with Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson, Buster Douglas, and so many others that

made up the "Real Deal."  So was Holyfield surrounded by the "don't let the dream fade" team, was it Pride,

or just something more. I think it was 15% team - 35% pride - 50% something more.

Prior to the fight, I found myself frustrated with all the media, announcers and other boxers talking about

how age doesn't matter - and if he feels good, he'll keep boxing and so on. People must know that age does

matter - how many champions over the history of boxing have been over 45?

Please...age doesn't matter...Then why are there ex-boxers, ex-football players and all the other ex-sports

figures? As if to say "I could keep this up...if only I was as fast and strong as I used to be"...please

people...keep it real.

I guess that's always going to be a problem with ex-sports figures who aren't living the glory any more....it

must be hard to do. I have never been in that position so I wont say "just get over it guys." We all saw what

happened to Roy Jones Jr. after his big knockout defeats only to be suddenly re-born to the sport after his

knockout of Prince (something or other) and is now thinking of a heavyweight fight or fighting for a title. I feel

that there is a time (in Boxing), a sport not like others, where brain damage and death occur...we must

"keep it real" as fight fans, journalists, announcers, and ex-boxers.

Now to the fight. After all that pre-rant you would expect me to say something like Evander got knocked the

F*#% out at 1:10 of the first round....but no...that's not how it went down. Holyfield stopped Bates in round

two....yep, round two. To my surprise, Holyfield looked fairly good. He was pushing his jab, it wasn't very

crisp....but he was moving more and appeared to have his legs under him. I was still thinking it's just the

first round....give it time...it's early. Then at the end of the first round, "POW," Bates hits Holyfield with a

good right (I think it was his only right), momentarily throwing Evander off balance...but nothing...Holyfield

just kept coming, and landing hard, accurate shots. Round one ended with Holyfield just popping Bates with

hard shots...head, body, body, head...Bates face was lobster red at the end of the round and his legs were

shot. Round two started with Bates legs gone, his balance bad, and he seemed like he just wanted to

collect his check and go home. Holyfield stopped him midway through the second with a barrage of rights,

lefts that Bates just had no answers for....although Bates really had no answers for anything. So Holyfield

wins his "BIG" (so called) return to the ring with - (to be honest) a rather impressive showing.

At the end of the night, it was a (sparring) session for Holyfield. Bates did not seem to have any fire or will in

that ring...he was outclassed, out skilled, out boxed, out every possible anything...(except age). To call it

anything other than that would be unfair to all parties involved, especially Holyfield...sorry Jeremy, don't

mean to discredit you. Yes, Holyfield looked good against Bates, but we must keep this fight in perspective.

I hope Holyfield, his team, and the boxing community as a whole remember that. Holyfield said "he is injury

free" and that's why he looked so good and felt so good...in his past few losses, he was fighting with injuries

and that's why he performed so poorly. After watching the fight, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I

wont say "The Real Deal" is back...not yet...and I hope for his sake that he gets "Back" his form before he

gets the knockout that will change his life...and don't think it can't happen. I hope he can get what he's

(Holyfield) looking for...Hey, maybe he'll be Americas next great defense.. Holyfield vs. Maskaev...

hhhmmmnnnn I would watch that.

Ysreal "TKO909" Rangel

Please e-mail questions or comments to: yrangel@thefightgame.tv

(8/19/06)