How Much Do You Respect Holyfield

[billeau2]

I thought Lewis won the first match but lost the second and Holyfield was past his prime by the time they fought.

That gets a bit nitpicky....I tend to have a horrible short term memory, I.e. I forget the milk and bring home the cookies, but I retain long term memory quite well! I remember very well that when they first fought Lewis was still downgraded by the boxing public and punditry. So Holyfield, who was very well recieved came into that fight as a conquering hero who would beat the fraudelent big guy who spoke with a lilt. So Lewis did not have the intertia, nor the backing of the fans really.

First off Holy was well on his game when he fought Lewis, so when people talk of versions they best be very specific about what quality would have allowed Evander such an advantage. Arguments I have heard to this effect are frankly...lacking. Holyfield tends to get lionized because he has the characteristics that Ray Corso points out in praise of him. I agree, however Lewis was better, he beat Holyfield at least once and never really lost to Holly.... maybe the second fight was a draw...maybe. The only thing Lewis did not do was KO Evander.

He really should have gone for the KO....I will say this much for Holyfield he was correct when he chastised Lewis for this regarding the first fight. But if he said this it indicates that he could have been dealt with that way and regardless Lewis beat him and everyone knows it.

[- Ram Raid -]

It isn't his in ring tactics that have lessened the respect that I have for the man.

I pay men to commit violence upon each other so that I can watch, there's no getting away from that. If in the midst of that action codes are transgressed, I'm in no position to get too morally outraged.

His penchant for intentional headbutting or him drawing blood on Jakey Winters after biting into his shoulder during the semifinal of the Georgia Golden Gloves are things that I'd rather didn't happen, but I can't condemn the man for them. He's in a fight. As a fan of the sport, directly or indirectly, I'm implicated in that.

What I don't respect, is the steroid abuse. After his name, or rather 'Evan Fields', was connected to Applied Pharmacy Services in Mobile during the BALCO scandal, I could no longer ignore what I'd been refusing to acknowledge for some time.

I grew up watching Evander. I felt that he stood for something that I admired and respected. When he emblazoned 'Real Deal' and 'Warrior' on his shorts, there was universal agreement that he had earned that right. The man was striding towards boxing legend.

But now, what was once a beautiful thing, the memories from my youth of watching a sporting hero, have been tainted by corruption of the worst kind. What was once deemed joyful is know childish naivety. In the same way that it has become with Carl Lewis and Linford Christie.

I can't help but have less respect for him for that.

[Dynamite76]

Have tremendous respect for Evander, last of the old guard(guys who have gone 15 rounds), and was undisputed champ in 2 different divisions.However, I do think some overrate him.

[billeau2]

It isn't his in ring tactics that have lessened the respect that I have for the man.

I pay men to commit violence upon each other so that I can watch, there's no getting away from that. If in the midst of that action codes are transgressed, I'm in no position to get too morally outraged.

His penchant for intentional headbutting or him drawing blood on Jakey Winters after biting into his shoulder during the semifinal of the Georgia Golden Gloves are things that I'd rather didn't happen, but I can't condemn the man for them. He's in a fight. As a fan of the sport, directly or indirectly, I'm implicated in that.

What I don't respect, is the steroid abuse. After his name, or rather 'Evan Fields', was connected to Applied Pharmacy Services in Mobile during the BALCO scandal, I could no longer ignore what I'd been refusing to acknowledge for some time.

I grew up watching Evander. I felt that he stood for something that I admired and respected. When he emblazoned 'Real Deal' and 'Warrior' on his shorts, there was universal agreement that he had earned that right. The man was striding towards boxing legend.

But now, what was once a beautiful thing, the memories from my youth of watching a sporting hero, have been tainted by corruption of the worst kind. What was once deemed joyful is know childish naivety. In the same way that it has become with Carl Lewis and Linford Christie.

I can't help but have less respect for him for that.

I admire your sense of conviction. I also admire your innocence....a term we usually think of regarding young girls, puppy dogs and the like....But alas as men who follow and sometimes participate in fightsports/activities....we have a right to innocently assume a code of conduct, of honor....

Alas let me not preface the next paragraph with a BUT or a HOWEVER....Hold on to that innocence and demand the world live up to it as long as you can...I do! drives my wife crazy actually and some days my kids are like "just don't embarass us dad!"

Unfortunately the way professional sports have become enhancements are part of the game. There is a reason why Artie Donovan, (Yes Ray fleet of foot indeed!) would be blown off the line today, why linebackers are twice as strong and fast, etc. And it ain't as many idiots here infer....from any sort of evolution. Boxers are build differently today and to make it to the heavyweight division from a smaller position one will have to take some sort of steriod along the way. What is interesting is that in boxing it does not make fighters "better." Today most guys have less activity and well...look at some of the more colorful debates here. What steriods do allow is a fighter like Pac or Holly to fight as a bigger man at a higher weight.

Enhancement is in all the sports now...Baseball? who would have thought? And yeah sometimes we cross a line we shouldn't, this one was crossed a while ago.

[SBleeder]

If he was clean, I respect him 100%.

If he juiced... 0%. I have more respect for a clean journeyman than a drug-using champion.

[lane99]

Holyfield is a personal hero for proving, in kicking Tyson's ass, what can be accomplished when you believe in yourself. Through fear and the entire world's skepticism he forged ahead and succeeded.

There's no boxer I have more respect for. That's not to say he's immune to a variety of human failings.

Bowe and Lewis are effectively in a higher weight class than Evander. That he did as well against them as he did is a further sign of his greatness.

[SlySlickSmooth]

[SN!PER]

All Time fan favorire, anyone who can't appreciate Evander doesn't like fighters who come to the ring;
in shape
willing to win
at ALL costs (head butts, liver, kidney whatever) it fighting get over it!
in prime or out gives everything he has
great lyhvy in the amatuers
great fighter at any weight!

Tremendous competitor and he out fought and out smarter the "feared Tyson"
bullied the bull till the bully quit!

Great Fighter! Ray.

Completely agree. I've never seen one man with so much faith and confidence. He KNEW he could win no matter what man they put in front of him. No matter what happened, he started every round with tremendous energy like he was starting a new fight. It's incredibly difficult to win against someone with that much spirit. His drug history gives his reputation a black eye, but most fighters from that time period were drugged up too whether they got caught or not, it was just a sad reality of the sport. Regardless, Holyfield has earned his place among the greatest cruiserweights and heavyweights of all time.

[MisterHardtop]

Holyfield beat a good but not the great version of Tyson. He beat Bowe once but lost twice, and yes I think Lennox Lewis was the number one heavyweight of the 90s.

Sorry for the late response, but based on what?

Lewis, as much as I liked him as a British heavyweight in the 90s, did not have the same level of heart, determination or skill as a prime Holyfield. His resume doesn't stack up to the man dubbed "Commander Vander" either. On what basis does one rank Lewis higher? I find little argument to favour him, in the 90s being the key phrase here.

[euellgong]

So Much Respect Him