I love boxing, and Evander Holyfield is one of my all-time favorites. I was cheering for him when Fan Man flew into the ring against Riddick Bowe, cheering for him when Mike Tyson bit his ears, and cheering for him a few dozen other times in his (too) long career.But after the report in the Albany Times-Union that two pharmacists have been indicted for trafficking performance-enhancing drugs over the Internet and that Holyfield was on their customer list, is there any doubt left in anyone's mind that Holyfield's great boxing career was fueled, in large part, by steroids?
Let's face it, if there's any athlete in modern history who fails the eyeball test for steroids, it's Holyfield. If you saw Holyfield when he was a lean cruiserweight early in his career, you'd be shocked that the bulked-up specimen you see in the picture is the same person.
Holyfield continues to fight at age 44. His next fight is less than three weeks away. Anyone who's heard him speak knows brain damage from being punched in the head has done him serious harm, and yet he continues to pass the necessary medical tests to get a boxing license. If brain damage can't convince boxing authorities to ban him from the ring, maybe evidence that he used steroids can.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MDS - Umm...Tommy Morrison fought last week on the same card as a guy who had bleeding in his brain. If HIV and bleeding from the brain won't stop them from letting you into a boxing ring what harm could slurred speech and steroids possibly do?
If you didn't believe he was on roids before this. I have a bridge to sell you. He was a light wight turned cuiser wieght then heavy wieght. The problem is he did it way to fast and never lost punching power in each division
Good point #1, but he was never a Lt weight...i dont know what the !@#$# hes even doin in the ring....he made more money than any boxer in history( cuz King didnt get any rights to him til what we thought was the end)....and he invested well.....the Toney KO should of been the end....the guys got like 9 kids what the hell does he want?...i just hope he doesnt get in the ring with one of those 3-4 russians..or its really over...........
Holyfield is the biggest hypocrite in the history of sports. He touts god and christianity, yet has numerous illegitimate children. Is anyone really surprised that he's a cheater too? I live in Atlanta and love this city, so I am ashamed to call him a neighbor.
are you serious? i don't know if he took steroids or not,but i would find it dubious. he statrted as a light-heavyweight,moved to cruiserweight, and finally heavyweight. you have to remember he was a small heavyweight. he was not massive or bulked up, but rather greatly defined. his physique is not typical of steroid use.
i knew evander when he was a 15 yr old kid boxing.i spent a week with him in canada, he was just as quiet& religous as he now is! steroids? i don,t know.
tommy morrison was reported to have hiv but the test was wrong thats why he was able to fight again after all this time but i cant explain the bleed and evander *sigh*
This is a little off subject but i've long thought that Mike Tyson used roids. Small bet, but i would put money on it, if there was a way to know for sure.
I think its cute that ppl actually think that there is natural athletes left in the world, wake up guys they are all on it!!! otherwise they would be packing shelves at coles
maybe best light heavy cruiser all time. so sad if it is true.
He's a M-A-N and not GOD. Again this proves that every athlete is not a role model and how we should protect our children. #4 I am also from ATL and a hypocrite is also one that says he loves God and in the same breath talks about his brother negatively. Look in the mirror my brother. I hope the steroids story isnt true but if so, it simply proves that he just a man.
Holyfield has always been a phony. This is a man who went around with a holier than thou attitude. Evander would preach Christianity as if his were as pure as the morning dew. Meanwhile he fathered numerous kids with several women. Hopefully the world can now see he's just another drug addict, womenizing ghetto rat.He is nothing more than a liar and cheater.
I agree number four...we do a "god-ly" sports show and we won't touch him either..but judge not lest you be judged...I directed an interview with him back in the early 90's in a dump of a work out center in down town Houston (McDonalds had a security guard outside OKAY?) He was a headed for heavy weight because of his power. that was the talk off camera but we couldn't go there during the interview. Man, he could work a bag like no one I'd seen, most can make it swing, but E could make the thing fold in half and cry like a girl. Ask Tyson. I had a glove signed by him and he wrote.."to Randy...Love Evander Holyfield..it's funny what do you say..."What the Hell?....love Evander? great, that's gonna suck on my office wall....Anyway Steroids yeah? so what..like boxing is a legit sport like horseracing..get over it.
to 12 there is no need for generalization, sterotypical raical comments.
I grew up with Evander Holyfield and have known him for 38 years. I trained with him and competed against him in other sports not boxing. He is the same hard working man today as he was when he was a child. He got his physical prowess the old fashion way. He ate right, took his vitamins, and worked extremely hard. Its a shame for someone to get accused and everyone thinks it is true. I know it not because he never displayed the side effects the steroids produce over the 38 years I have known him.
As far as the children, he is a great father and love and take care of everyone of them. We all have shortcomings but we are protected from the press because it is not news to interview a common person.
As a boxer, I guess I would say I am a fan of Holyfield. Same goes for Tyson and Lennox Lewis. The obvious problem in the heavy weight division is lack of young talent. No disrespect to Valuev, Klitscko, Maskaev, or Briggs- they are all OK boxers, BUT a Holyfield, Lewis, or Tyson in their primes would take care of them easily. If we had young talent we wouldn't have to fuss over a Holyfield "comeback" or steroid scandal. BTW, if i HAD to pick the best current heavyweight, I would say the younger Klitscko.
This is irresponsible journalism. Holyfield is implicated, not even investigated, and then is tried in the media and public opinion. If ANYONE passes the eye test, it's Evander. Nobody works harder than him and shown more heart inside and outside the ring. He comfortably made the 190lb limit at Cruiserweight and when he moved to Heavyweight could barely make the 201 minimum, having to drink 2 liters of water immediately before getting on the scale. His weight gain has been consistent and steady since then, having never been higher than 220.
IMO, Holyfield cleary visited this clinic. This clinic is known for cutting edge medecine, and not just a roid shop. Evander visited the clinic to have his hormone and pituitary levels checked and was found to be out of whack. A common thing. He was prescribed vitamins and hormones including testosterone, not steroids. The doctor told him he didnt receive anything illegal. I am not 100% sure of the status of HGH being tested for by boxing commissions. He's been thru the highest level of amateur boxing, won international competitions, and has many years as a professional. Yes, the testing policy/procedure in boxing is a joke, but NOBODY has been tested more than Holyfield. He's been suspected for years, yet passed every test.
The person who said he shoulda retired after the Toney TKO, that's ironic, since Toney put on 37lbs of MUSCLE in 5 months for that fight, and after the fight was acting in a rage like he'd not even exerted much energy.
He's a joke, I nevered liked him from his first pro fight to now. He was a fake christian who had kids everywhere. He had three women pregnant at the same time. He most likely is on the juice. I had a bad incounter with him in L A one time when I tried to speek to him. He was rude and ignored me when I said hello. What ever happen to giving people credit that gave a honest shot at being a champ and doing it clean. He needs to get out boxing before he gets hurt. That I don't want to see but will happen if these fools keep letting him fight. Other wise I could give a hoot about him.
I've been a Holyfield fan for many years and I find the steroid accusations hard to believe.When he entered the heavyweight division all we ever heard was that he was a blown-up light heavyweight and he would never survive.As #17 stated, he had trouble making the minimum weight. All he did over his heavyweight career is defeat fighter after fighter who all the experts said were better than he was . His physique barely changed over the years, his facial features did not change, and he was always on an even emotional keel whenever we saw him on camera or heard him being interviewed. Where are the steroid use indicators ? As far as his personal life, it is just that, ... PERSONAL. To those who are critical of his personal life, perhaps you would like to open your life up to the rest of us and let's see what we can dig up on you.
*** HOLYFIELD was the best of his era, NUFF SAID !!! ***
Holyfield always had a big head/chin, always had a thick neck, always was fit, always stayed in shape (even between fights), always gave the best he could (even when he was not right physically; he never postponed a fight, ever!!!)
Even I can't say he didn't do it. But I sure cannot judge the man just cause something lik his name and phone number came out on some list.
Heck. I could buy some stuff over the internet, send in a money order with "Joe Blows" name, address, and phone number on it and guess what that steroids place customer list would read; yeah you guessed it, "Joe Blow"!!!
And did Joe Blow really order that stuff? No!!! It was some one else.
GET A GRIP PEOPLE !!!
Steroids can't give you that crazy rock hard chin (that's just genes, and tuc king your chin in).