Friday, August 18, 2006

Holyfield's Image

It's funny. I'm watching the pre-fight festivities on Fox Sports Net for tonight's Evander Holyfield fight. They showed Holyfield highlights with a rap song playing in the background. It was slick, very well done. The problem is, Holyfield isn't a rap guy. He's old school 1970's. I spent the good part of three hours with Holyfield last Friday, watching him train, and yes, stepping into the ring with him briefly. He played the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Gap Band and Village People! Not quite wrap music.

He looked very good in his first fight in two years. He knocked out Jeremy Bates in the second round. Bates was able to sneak in a big round house that caught Holyfield off guard, but The Real Deal recovered nicely and pummelled Bates to end it in the second.

Holyfield is doing this on his own terms. He's out from underneath Don King. He's picking his own fights, he's training his own way, and he's taking his own path back to the top. Don't be surprised to see this old-school 70's funk music fan show the new-aged rap crowd a thing or to on his way to his unprecedented 5th heavyweight championship.

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