Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 19, 1991 TAG: 9104190025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. LENGTH: Medium
The land of Oz for the 42-year-old, 257-pound Wizard of Self Promotion will be the Convention Center.
At the end of the yellow brick road paved by hand-picked opponents stands Evander Holyfield, the unbeaten and unheralded heavyweight champion of the world.
The 28-year-old, 208-pound Holyfield toiled for several years as a champion in that boxing wasteland called the cruiserweight division.
Relinquishing the cruiserweight title and becoming a heavyweight, Holyfield was ridiculed as being a blown-up fighter, too small to become a champion.
So he simply became champion by knocking out James "Buster" Douglas in the third round last Oct. 25, although most of the attention was focused on Douglas' flabby 246-pound body and his shameful effort.
For Holyfield to keep the most lucrative title in sports, he must beat a man who has made himself the standard-bearer for the middle age set.
"What kind of credibility will I get beating George Foreman?" Holyfield asked. "Probably none."
Holyfield will have a dandy credit rating, though.
He is assured of at least $20 million. Foreman is guaranteed $12.5 million.
"People write, `You got to win George, you must do it,' " said Foreman, a 3-1 underdog in his bid to become the oldest man to win a world championship in any weight class.
The victory would come 16 years, five months and 20 days after he lost the title to Muhammad Ali on an eighth-round knockout at Kinshasa, Zaire.
He had won the title by stopping Joe Frazier in the second round in 1974 at Kingston, Jamaica. Watching on closed-circuit television in Atlanta was 10-year-old Evander Holyfield.
After losing to Jimmy Young in 1977, Foreman retired and became an evangelist. He began his comeback in 1987.
He weighed 267 pounds for his first fight, a fourth-round knockout of Steve Zouski. His weight of 257 pounds for Friday night's fight is fifth highest for a championship bout.
Primo Carnera weighed 260 1/2 pounds when he won the title from Jack Sharkey in 1933 and weighed 270, 263 1/4 and 259 1/2 for three defenses.
Foreman has convinced more than a few boxing people that he can win.
Others see him a snakeoil salesman, who, while making jokes about eating cheeseburgers, fattened his record on hamburger opposition.
Whatever the quality of his 24 comeback opponents, there is no question Foreman can punch hard. He knocked out or stopped 23 of them to boost his career record to 69-2, with 65 knockouts.
After being knocked out by Foreman in the fourth round in 1990, Mike Jameson said, "I can take a punch. But, by God, he hit me harder than anyone, even Mike Tyson.
"He hits you with those hands, it's like a wrecking ball coming at you."
Said George Benton, the former middleweight contender who trains Holyfield, "You don't lose your power."
Foreman, of course, wants to win early. He certainly doesn't want to have to haul his bulk over 12 rounds against a superbly conditioned opponent, who has demonstrated stamina in the past.
Despite Foreman's weight, trainer Archie Moore, the 77-year-old former light heavyweight champion who fought until he was 49, believes Foreman is in top condition.
Foreman has not weighed less than 250 pounds in his last 12 fights.
Moore, who was in Foreman's corner when he lost to Ali, was reunited with Foreman for the Gerry Cooney match five fights ago.
He believes Foreman is better now than he was in the 1970s.
"He's more sage," Moore said. "He's more subtle, more devastating, more confident."
Angelo Dundee, who trained Ali and will serve as Foreman's cut man, believes Big George will nail Holyfield because Holyfield doesn't have good lateral movement and is not a defensive-minded fighter.
On the other hand, Benton said, "George is not a defensive fighter."
Foreman has not had to pay much attention to defense so far in his comeback.
Part of the Holyfield strategy apparently will be to throw lots of punches and make Foreman spend lots of time in his crablike defense in which he folds his arms and extends them in front of his face.
Benton also said Holyfield will crowd Foreman and make the challenger push him away. He also will make him turn - anything to tire him.
"We know he's capable of being taken out and we know Holyfield is capable of doing it," Benton said. "Holyfield is punching hard enough to take him or any other heavyweight out."
There are 21 knockouts on Holyfield's 25-0 record.
"We just can't let Foreman get lucky," said Lou Duva, who helps train Holyfield.
by CNB