Former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield is making his return to the “sweet science” at some point in 2022, despite a poor showing against ex-UFC slugger Vitor Belfort under the Triller banner earlier this month in Hollywood, Florida.
Holyfield, who turns 59 in less than a month, was floored by Belfort in the opening frame of their “Legends II” headliner, but Triller boss Ryan Kavanaugh insists it was tangled feet — not thunderous punches — that put “The Real Deal” on his ass.
“If you talk to Holyfield, what the world perceived happen, didn’t happen,” Kavanaugh told The MMA Hour. “If you talk to Holyfield, Vitor apparently stepped on his foot, which I haven’t seen the footage yet, which made him trip and that’s why it looked like he fell. He swung really hard, which we all know that he did, and that was the knockout swing. Had he connected with Vitor, Vitor would probably still be in the hospital today, and [he] missed and put him into the ropes cause he swung so hard.”
After his Holyfield victory in “The Sunshine State,” Belfort promptly called for a Jake Paul fight that was quickly dismissed by the “The Problem Child.” As for Holyfield, he’s too busy knocking out 22 year-olds to hear the calls for his permanent retirement.
“He’s always been a quiet guy,” Kavanaugh continued. “It’s not like he’s all of a sudden he’s more quiet or talking slower. He’s strong and fast. We have a lot of training footage of him where he’s hitting very hard. He’s hitting very fast and he’s sparring 22-year-olds and when I say sparring, I’m saying knocking out 22 year-olds in 12-round matches, time and time again.”
Holyfield is current serving his 30-day medical suspension.