Becoming Holyfield (29 page)

For my own good. Because they loved me so much.

I've spent my entire career proving the critics wrong. They said I was too small to be a heavyweight, and I won the world championship four times. They said I couldn't go the distance, and I won my first world title in fifteen rounds of one of the most grueling matches ever fought, then did the same against the likes of George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Riddick Bowe. They said Mike Tyson was going to kill me, and I beat him twice. They said if I fought Bowe a second time, he'd put me in the hospital, but I beat him, too.

After a life of experiences like that, is it any wonder that I have this tendency to follow my own heart?

I've got the right to pursue my goal and I know what I'm doing. It's possible I might get hurt along the way, but that's always been a possibility, and you know what? That's my business. I've had a pretty good life minding it my own way. I've had a great life following my faith and my instincts, and that's what I plan to continue doing while I'm still in the process of “becoming Holyfield.”

Professional Fight Record as of March 17, 2007

W
e are indebted to many people for their invaluable assistance, including Teddy Atlas, David Brenner, Bo and Buddy Davis, Tom Casino, Rick Dressler, Jim Fox, Dale Gentry, Dr. David S. Greenfield, Cherie Gruenfeld, Tim Hallmark, Graham Higgins, Eloise Holyfield, Candi Holyfield, Bernard Holyfield, Laurie Liss, Ronnie Shields, Lisa Smith-Putnam, Adam “Swamp Donkey” Richards, Neal Tabachnik, and Mike Weaver. Sincere apologies to those we might have inadvertently omitted.

Buddy and Bo Davis
Carter and Katherine Morgan, when I was thirteen.

Buddy and Bo Davis
Graduation from Fulton High School, 1980.

Evander Holyfield
Working at Epps Aviation helped to finance my amateur career. That's Josephine Abercrombie and Bob Spagnola about to board.

Evander Holyfield
In 1988 I became the first undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world.

Allsport USA
With the legendary trainer Lou Duva, my first fight as a heavyweight, against James Tillis outdoors in Lake Tahoe, July 16, 1988. I knocked James out in the fifth.

Allsport USA
A lot of people thought my fight against Michael “Dynamite” Dokes was my first real test as a heavyweight, March 11, 1989.

Allsport USA
Lou Duva talking to me during my world title fight against Buster Douglas, October 25, 1990.

Allsport USA
My first manager, Ken Sanders, and trainer Lou Duva after I knocked Michael Dokes out in the tenth. It was after this fight that Ken told Don King to let me fight Mike Tyson, “Winner take all!”

Allsport USA
I knocked Buster out in the third round to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

Evander Holyfield
Mama getting a service award from her church, 1991.

Evander Holyfield
In church with my son Ewin, 1991.

Evander Holyfield
My first defense of the undisputed world heavyweight title was against George Foreman, one of the hardest punchers in the game.