What is Evander Holyfield’s Net Worth?
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| Source of Wealth | Professional boxing |
| Date of Birth | October 19, 1962 |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6 ft 2½ in |
| Place of Birth | Atmore, Alabama |
| Star Sign | Libra |
| Religion | Christian |
| Marital Status | Candi Holyfield (separated) |
The Usual Intro
Evander Holyfield is a retired American boxer with an approximate \ net worth of $1 million. His success in the ring between the years 1984 and 2011 brought him both fame and fortune. He may be best known for his matches against Mike Tyson in 1996.
Born in 1962 in Atmore, Alabama, Evander Holyfield became the reigning heavyweight boxing champion and held the title throughout the early 90s. In the late 80s, he was the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and today he is still the only professional boxer to have held undisputed championship status in two weight classes.
He is also the only boxer to become a four-time heavyweight champion. An amateur boxer, Holyfield represented the US at the 1984 Olympic games. He is often referred to by his nickname, the “Real Deal Holyfield.”
Before the Spotlight
One of eight brothers and sisters, Evander stood out from his siblings. From an early age, his grandmother taught him to be disciplined and pious. When he was just four years old, his family moved to a high-crime area in Atlanta, Georgia.
Evander joined a boxing club at the tender age of just seven, where he began honing the skills that would make him a worldwide champion. He joined the Junior Olympics at age 13 and rapidly became and Southeastern regional tourney champion. By the age of 15, he had scored 76 knockouts over 174 fights, of which he won 160.
The Journey to Success
Holyfield had his first professional fight in 1984 as a light heavyweight in a bout against Lionel Byarm. He won his first fight, setting the tone for the rest of his professional career.
In 1985, as a cruiserweight, he fought Tyrone Booze, winning in the 8th round by an undivided judgment.
He won three more fights in this weight class in his first year and earned the title of WBA Cruiserweight Champion in 1986. After moving up to the heavyweight class, Holyfield won his first match in five rounds.
The Best Moments
Holyfield’s most famous fights pitted him against his rival, the then soon to be infamous Mike Tyson. Tyson was widely considered unbeatable, but Holyfield managed to beat him in 1996 in an upset victory. In June of 1997, the two fighters met in the ring once again.
This time Tyson had a score to settle and bit off a chunk of Holyfield’s ear. Tyson was disqualified, and Holyfield was declared the winner. Many Tyson fans believed he would have beaten Holyfield if he had not let his temper get the best of him. The two fed a bitter rivalry for years, and talk of a much anticipated third match kept fans at attention.
Holyfield’s career continued with great success until 2014, when he retired. His career was marked with many noteworthy highlights but never exceeded the intensity or notoriety of his bouts against Tyson.
The Private Side
Evander was married three times and fathered 11 children; 6 sons and 5 daughters. His enormous wealth is said to have been squandered by major settlement losses after his divorces as well as his extravagant gambling habits.
His son, Evan Holyfield, had become a professional boxer and at the time of this writing, has lost only one out of a total of 10 fights. Over the course of his career, Evander Holyfield amassed a fortune of more than $510 million, most of which is believed to have been lost.
Evander Holyfield’s Related YouTube Video
Mike Tyson Knocked Out! Evander Holyfield KO’s Iron Mike
In what might be the most famous fight in the history of boxing, the tension was palpable. Mike Tyson glared at Holyfield with his trademark, mad-dog stare before the bell rang.
In this video clip, Tyson is clearly in trouble as Holyfield lays into him hard and heavy. You can see Tyson’s head rock and the sweat fly off his face as his legs lose strength. In the final blows, it is pretty clear that Holyfield is the winner. The referee had to split the two up as Tyson appeared unable to defend himself.
Famous Quotes of Evander Holyfield
Here are some inspiring quotes from Evander Holyfield:
- “When at a young age you learn to face your fears, that makes the difference between people being champions and people not being champions.”
- “My goal is to be the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World.”
- “A sight game is that I am hurt, but I aim to make you believe I am not even hurt, and with this confidence appearing on my face, I don’t panic, otherwise your opponent will know that you are hurt. That’s the whole art game in boxing.”
The Social World
These are the social media statistics of the famous boxer Evander Holyfield:
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Over the course of his career, Evander Holyfield has developed a reputation for wisdom and perspective. He has been quoted saying that as a young man, you learn to face your fears and that those who don’t learn what it means to be a champion.
He has also been known to be one of boxing’s best when it comes to taking a loss in stride. He said that a setback is just the setup for a comeback.
He is also well known for his faith, having said that he is grateful to God for giving him the patience he needed to endure the most difficult times in life and in the ring.
The Unusual Stuff
- Holyfield won his first title at age seven in a Boys Club tournament.
- He weighed just 147 pounds at age 21.
- He won a silver medal in 1983 in the Pan American Games.
- Before turning professional, he won 160 fights, more than half of which were knockouts.
- Holyfield received his first scar in 1992 in his fight against Larry Holmes, in which he sustained a gash over his right eyebrow.
Answering Frequent Questions
Might Tyson have won their first fight if not for the technical win?
Looking at the footage, it does not appear that Tyson could have pulled out of Holyfield’s persistent blows to the head.
Where does Holyfield live today?
Holyfield still lives in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, where he remains close to his extended family.
The Closing Remarks
Evander Holyfield remains one of the most iconic men ever to participate in the high levels of world championship boxing. He is known for his thoughtful and patient approach to the sport. His battles against Mike Tyson in particular are seen as a triumph of reason over fury. Even today, a more thoughtful Mike Tyson will agree that Holyfield is indeed the Real Deal.
Featured image credit: Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
