JRE MMA Show #80 with Evander Holyfield

[0] Boom, and we're live.

[1] What's up, champ?

[2] How are you?

[3] I'm great, now how are you doing?

[4] I'm great, man. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[5] I've been a fan forever.

[6] Oh, good.

[7] I've seen every single fight you've ever had, so for me, it's an honor to have you in here, man, as a giant boxing fan, all the way back to Dwight Kaui, saw you fight in the Olympics, saw everything.

[8] Yeah, you did.

[9] Yeah, for real.

[10] And I understand you're going to do an exhibition now.

[11] Well, yeah, I'm preparing for one, you know, You know, me going over to Japan and being able to go over there and see the Tahaun, whatever that.

[12] Sunami?

[13] Sunami.

[14] Yeah.

[15] And the point of sending the tsunami going over there and helping people.

[16] And I figured, why not do an exhibition?

[17] Right.

[18] So it's like a benefit for the tsunami victims?

[19] Yes.

[20] You look great.

[21] You're in great shape still.

[22] Well, thank you.

[23] You never got out of shape.

[24] Well, you're hard of the game.

[25] It's easy to maintain and rebuild.

[26] Easier to maintain than rebuild, yeah.

[27] But now at your age, like, what was the last time you had a fight?

[28] It was like 2011.

[29] Is that what it was?

[30] Yeah, 2011.

[31] So it's been like eight years, which is you were thinking of competing, like, deep into your 50s, though.

[32] Well, yeah, the thing is, is that I'm always trying to stay in shape, but it really didn't want to get hit again.

[33] Right, right, right.

[34] Like that, but exhibition, I could do an exhibition.

[35] Who is the exhibition against?

[36] I don't know yet.

[37] I'm thinking about, you know, I wanted to be ready both because me and him buddies.

[38] Now, you can do it with somebody your friends with it because they know that they're not going to hit you too hard if you don't hit them too hard.

[39] Right.

[40] So it'll be more of a sparring sort of a deal.

[41] Yes.

[42] Now, how often are you training now?

[43] Well, you know, I'm always trained I shout a box.

[44] I don't hit the bag but I'm ready to do it now because I'm actually going to be performing.

[45] I want to look good but I don't want to get in a dogy, doggy fight.

[46] Right, you don't want to get into a war.

[47] Right.

[48] You just want to have like a little exhibition sparring match, just a little just combinations, not hit each other too hard, that kind of deal?

[49] Well, yeah.

[50] We can hit hard to the body But not to hit Right Right, right, right Now at this stage of your life You know, it's been a while since you competed Are you worried that those competitive juices Might get fired up again?

[51] And you might want to actually fight again?

[52] No, I don't think I I will ever go back in Because I did everything I wanted to do Right I feel that I got as far as I've wanted to get And you know, I'm only four -time heavyweight champion of the world.

[53] Ever.

[54] So I ain't got no reason to be mad with nobody about anything.

[55] I can think I had a great career.

[56] You had an unbelievable career.

[57] Yes.

[58] Only four -time heavyweight champion of the world ever.

[59] I mean, I can remember way back in the day when you were moving up from cruiserweight to heavyweight.

[60] And it was one of the rare times where we were watching, back in those days that folks who don't know, it was kind of taboo for boxers to live.

[61] weights.

[62] Yeah, it was.

[63] And it was Mackey Shilstone that got you ready for that, right?

[64] No, no. It's Tim Hallmark.

[65] Matthew Shilstone got Spinks ready.

[66] Yeah, Spinks ready.

[67] Yeah, that's right.

[68] And I came after that, and the point of coming out to Maggie Shilstone, everybody thought about the weight, but Tim Hallmark were talking about flexibility, all the things you had to do when you lift weights.

[69] Right, yeah.

[70] Because everybody used to think before that that if you live in a lot, that if you live in lifted weights, it made you stiff.

[71] Yeah.

[72] And Tim was able to, he did everything with me to show me that just a myth.

[73] Right, right.

[74] Condition is about, you know, heart rate and all this.

[75] And then, you know, when you lift weight, you just got to do more.

[76] Right.

[77] It seemed like back then the problem was when people would lift weights, they would get sore, and then they would go to the gym and they wouldn't perform as well.

[78] And so everybody would say, oh, weights are making you stiff.

[79] they didn't allow themselves to get through a full program with a real strength and conditioning guy like Tim Hallmark or Mackie Shillstone.

[80] They were the first guys, really, to bulk guys up.

[81] Well, it's all about confidence and someone taking to another level, you know.

[82] And I think that at that time, people just kind of, in this level, this is all we know and this is only far we can go because you have to work harder if you lift weight, you're going to have to work harder You know, with me, I was able to bring a ballet teacher in there.

[83] I did at ballet, too.

[84] Did you really?

[85] Yeah, that's the reason why I was able to still be flexible and being able to be quick and all that.

[86] And, you know, I did all that.

[87] But I ain't let nobody know I would do a ballet, you know.

[88] I'd like to see some video you doing ballet.

[89] Is there any out there?

[90] No, we did not, no. Did you wear a tutu?

[91] No, no, no, no. You know, I got stress.

[92] Like, I man, you're talking about Miss Kennedy, that's her name.

[93] And so I kept her to the day, and so she ended up slipping, breaking her hip.

[94] And because she was like 70 years old when she was stretching me and had me doing all the splits and all this.

[95] But it worked.

[96] Yeah.

[97] Well, you were one of the first, like, supremely conditioned heavyweight boxers.

[98] You know, when you'd see you, you were sculpted, you know.

[99] and you would be able to put that output out for the entire 12 rounds.

[100] I mean, you had those incredible fights at Riddick -Poe.

[101] I know you guys are friends now, but God damn, did you guys have some wars?

[102] We had battles.

[103] Man, I think the big thing because he kind of bully, you know, and he's a big guy, and he used to always look at me and say, a good, a good big guy beat a good little guy any time.

[104] And every time we go in and practice, I bust him up.

[105] But, you know, I was four years older than him, but he was bigger, but I was always getting.

[106] Yeah.

[107] Well, you guys had some crazy fights, but the craziest one was probably the one where the guy landed in the middle of the ring, the guy with the parachute.

[108] What was that guy's, what did he call himself?

[109] The fan man. That's right.

[110] He had a fan that was powering his parachute, and he literally landed in the ring.

[111] That was in an outdoor arena in Vegas.

[112] Is that what it was?

[113] Well, it sure was.

[114] And it helped the fight up about 30 minutes.

[115] That was crazy.

[116] Yeah, because at that time, I had him hurt.

[117] Yes.

[118] And like that, and it saved him.

[119] Yeah, well, you had them hurt, and then everybody got cold.

[120] I mean, you cooled off.

[121] I mean, it almost seems like they should have canceled the fight.

[122] Well, you know, it was half of the fight.

[123] You know, if they canceled the fight, they were at the pears again.

[124] There's a picture up there.

[125] Look at that.

[126] What was going through your mind when you saw that guy land on the ropes like that?

[127] Well, it shocked me. And then, because when it did, the light started like this and Curtis Mayfield had just got paralyzed.

[128] But the same thing where the thing fell down.

[129] Oh, lights fell on him?

[130] Yeah, yeah.

[131] Curtis Mayfield, did he got paralyzed that way?

[132] Yes.

[133] Oh, wow.

[134] So you thought maybe the lights were about to fall?

[135] Well, yeah, and I was trying to make sure that I can make that quick step.

[136] Get in or get out.

[137] Right, right, right.

[138] Yeah.

[139] So this guy, once you finally realize that it was a guy on a parachute with a fan behind him, how mad were you?

[140] You know, I can keep my mind on him.

[141] I got to keep my mind on Reddard Bow.

[142] That's enough.

[143] Everybody asked me then, and I'm like, my mind, you know, you had to have a one -track mind is you're going to be real good.

[144] You're going to be the best.

[145] You haven't had that one -track mind.

[146] Yeah.

[147] Yeah, it's not something you can pay attention to.

[148] But was it hard to get your mind back into it after the settle and they had to clear the guy out and arrest him and clean the ring out and everything?

[149] No, I stayed focused.

[150] My other thing is that, you know, I felt that I won the first half.

[151] Right.

[152] I got, now I got this next half.

[153] Why did it take a half hour to get that guy out of there?

[154] You know, you know, you know, rid of both wife were there.

[155] was pregnant and she had to leave and all this and so many things happened because the guy happened to come over Farrakhan and so all these people they don't beat the pole man in the head and knocked him out like this else I mean he got a really good beating for coming in.

[156] I hope he did yeah he did yeah is he still in jail no no no he passed now oh he's gone yeah oh well oh well I guess that's his legacy well you fucked up your fight that's his legacy Wait, you're right, but I won.

[157] Yes, you did, yeah.

[158] I mean, look, man, you had some incredible fights, but to me, one of my fondest memories is, you know what Kevin James is from the King of Queens, the TV show?

[159] Me and Kevin James were at my house in Encino, the night you fought Tyson, the first one, the first fight, when you dropped Tyson, I'll never forget it.

[160] Because back then, I mean, we knew that Buster Douglas had beaten Tyson, but we kind of almost thought it was like a fluke.

[161] but when you were battering Tyson and then you put him down and stopped him I'll never forget Kevin James jumping off the couch just jumping oh my God we're throwing our arms up in the air I mean that was for sure one of the greatest heavyweight championship victories in the history of the sport it was just an incredible fight because in a lot of people's eyes Tyson was like this a bad guy he was like people thought of him as like a thug you know and you were thought of as this like really good guy and many people didn't think that you were going to be able to beat him so when you didn't just beat him but you took it to him you took it to him you know like early on in the fight you could tell that you had decided you were going to push him around and you know once you had stopped him I mean it was that was pandemonium in my house so everybody was going crazy they couldn't believe it well you know I know I had you know I'm like you know I'm a Christian I I but The point of the matter, I work hard, I train hard.

[162] And, you know, my mama said, ain't too many things that you do well.

[163] So, son, you know, which one is sports you're going to do?

[164] Because I was a good athlete.

[165] But football and boxing was my two best ones.

[166] But, you know, I play basketball.

[167] I did baseball.

[168] I did everything.

[169] My mama said, ain't enough time in a day to be the best.

[170] At everything.

[171] Yeah, the only sense.

[172] So you got to pick one.

[173] So when I play football in 10th grade, and they put me on the bench.

[174] And I started crying.

[175] And my mom would say, you can't quit until the season is over.

[176] So I had to play on that game.

[177] They finally let me play in the championship game.

[178] And they seemed how good I was.

[179] And they asked me, was I coming back next year.

[180] I said, no, sir.

[181] He said, why?

[182] I said, my mama said I ain't got to.

[183] Like this, my mama told me you got to bet on yourself or you're going to bet on the coach.

[184] Right.

[185] So in boxing, you're betting on yourself.

[186] Right.

[187] And in team sport, you're betting on the coach.

[188] You bet on the coach, you're betting on the other players, and you betting on the coach letting you play.

[189] Right.

[190] Whereas in boxing, they have to let you fight.

[191] That's right.

[192] You may be asking somebody tag in for you.

[193] Now, when did you think, that boxing was going to be your career was it right after that it's like around 10th grade oh but yeah yeah you know after 10th grade i realized that you know and it don't came down to one one sport yeah that i really do real well and so that when i i you know i just put everything in it well you were a part of that incredible olympic team too i mean so many great fighters came out of that olympic team right yeah marg brilin pernell whittie Melger Taylor.

[194] I can tell you all of them.

[195] Paul Gonzalez 106, Steve McCurray, 112, 19, Robert Shannon, 125, Melchard Taylor, 132, Pennell Willaker, 139, Jerry, Jerry, and 147 with Mark Breland, 156, Frank Tate, 165, Virgin Hill, 178.

[196] That's right, Virgil Hill.

[197] And then Henry Tillman and Tyrol Biggs.

[198] What a team.

[199] Yeah.

[200] Crazy team.

[201] Nine gold muller, one silver.

[202] Shabrons.

[203] Amazing.

[204] Yes.

[205] And you, besides Michael Spinks, you were one of the rare guys to move up, to move up and be successful as a heavyweight.

[206] Did you just decide, like after you'd beat Dwight Muhammad Kawi, who was a cruiserweight champion and you'd beat, you know, some real good names at that weight class.

[207] You had just decided that heavyweight was where the real money was at.

[208] Well, actually, you know, my goal, I wanted to be a heavyweight champion in the world.

[209] And the only person I knew is Mike Tyson do it, I could do it.

[210] So, so when Mike Tyson, whoop everybody, you know, you know, you know, people tend to make up excuses.

[211] Now, Mike Tyson is a small person.

[212] He, I'm talking to me. He hit hard, but he got short arms.

[213] Right.

[214] And so I've seen Mike whipping people that's 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, and they outweighing by 20 -30 pounds.

[215] He beat the daylight out of him.

[216] Right.

[217] I figured, if Mike could do it, I could do it.

[218] So that gave you inspiration.

[219] That gave me inspiration.

[220] My own thing It's that, you know, you know, I actually, you know, force the cruiserweight division, I kind of went through that.

[221] And what's the next goal is to go up?

[222] And, you know, and I chose to do it.

[223] And a lot of people say, man, you're crazy.

[224] Well, you know, you have to be a little of that to be in this anyway.

[225] Yeah, there's no doubt about that, right?

[226] Yeah.

[227] So when you first did fight Mike Tyson, was that, like something you had always knew was going to happen, but once he got out of jail?

[228] Well, it was like this.

[229] My mama used to tell me, she said, now, let me tell you the time by a good fighter, you can't wish him away, they ain't never going nowhere.

[230] You got to face it.

[231] And so, you know what?

[232] And, you know, and everybody, and everything that I'd done, everybody will always remind me, you didn't beat Mike Tyson.

[233] And I was like, well, you're right.

[234] And I said, but it's not like it was my fault.

[235] And I said, you know, every time I got ready to fall in, something happened.

[236] I said, but it wasn't my fault.

[237] Well, you ain't really the champ until you beat him.

[238] It's amazing that he was so popular, especially in my house.

[239] When people get mad at me, they tell me, I can't wait until you fight Mike Tyson.

[240] That's crazy.

[241] And so the thing is, is that, you know, he was that person that I watched everyone in his fight, and I realized you can't make that many mistakes with Mike.

[242] Right.

[243] When you finally did beat him, do you think when you did fight him and did beat him, do you think that that raised your celebrity and your notoriety to a different level?

[244] Not really.

[245] I think that it let people know that you ain't got to be considered a bad person to be good in the ring.

[246] Yeah.

[247] Because, you know, my whole thing, I could box, but everybody thought that because I'd incurs a lot or I don't get in trouble that you ain't mean enough to beat a mean guy and most so then I'm a skillful fight I took care of my body and I did everything right I'm to you know in general I fall a lot of guys who are a lot bigger and but it's an art to the game it's really our art it's really our art It is not just one thing you just, you hit harder because you got to be able to take something to give some.

[248] Right.

[249] Well, you always could take it.

[250] Yeah.

[251] That was a big part of your career when you had an iron chin.

[252] I mean, Riddick -Bow was a giant man, and he hit you with some bombs and those wars that you guys had.

[253] You were able to take some incredible punches.

[254] Well, you know, with me, I knew that I could take it, but can you take it?

[255] And so the whole big thing is, the whole big thing, my whole thing, my whole, my whole, my whole, big thing with Mike is that what Mike had told somebody say everybody got a plan to they get hit and he was right because you know if you hitting it this guy worried about you hitting him and he ain't worried by getting hit so he ain't got to worry about it but I knew if you hit me I were going to hit you back and so that was part of the plan was to let him know that early it seems like that was when you fought him particularly in the first round you pressed him and that was a rare moment moment to see someone like really pushing Mike back and getting Mike back on his heels.

[256] Well, in the other game, if you like Mike get you back, that may be it.

[257] Right, right, right.

[258] So you have to attack him.

[259] So the whole big thing, the whole big thing would mean was, it's things that my mama said.

[260] She said, let me tell you when you know, when you know how good you are, when somebody press you with what you're doing.

[261] and she said, might load the press other people.

[262] Can he handle the press?

[263] My mom said, do it back to him.

[264] Do it back.

[265] If you want to see somebody stop doing something to you, do it to them.

[266] All of a sudden, they'll stop.

[267] People really don't like what you do to somebody, and somebody do it again.

[268] You get ticked.

[269] Right.

[270] Like that.

[271] So the thing was to we practice just putting pressure, point pressure, point pressure, put him feel the same way.

[272] he'd make other people feel.

[273] So that was the game plan going into that fight?

[274] Was there anything surprising about that fight?

[275] Not to mean because I didn't want no surprise because of the surprise you may get knocked off.

[276] So the thing is to stay on him and let him think about all of those things.

[277] Now, once you stopped him in the first fight, the second fight is the fight that's probably the most famous fight because he bit a chunk of your ear off.

[278] And I saw it when you were coming in here.

[279] Show everybody that.

[280] Well, you know, did you ever think about getting that fixed?

[281] Well, no, you know, that's my identification, now.

[282] If I ain't got my ID, I can show my ear.

[283] That is, right, if you want to get into somewhere?

[284] Do you know who I am?

[285] Look at my ear.

[286] Yeah.

[287] That's crazy, man. That was one of the craziest moments when Mills Lane looked at you and you were jumping up in the air and looked at Tyson and realized, holy shit, he bit a chunk out of your fucking ear.

[288] Right.

[289] Like, what?

[290] What were you thinking at that time?

[291] biting him back I'm serious I was getting ready to bite the day likes out of him and I was gonna bite him in the face I would bite him in the face I wouldn't wait for the ear I was gonna get the fat stuff you know when you're from the ghetto they say if you do something you gotta do it worse than what they did and so you know and I told Mike in a talk show I said no I said no I would pretend it like I was hurting real bad but I'm gonna trip you up and bite you read it in your face.

[292] Everybody knows what I was going to do.

[293] I said, but, you know, this prophet told us before the fight, he told me, he said, look, he's going to do something in your face area, but you got to stay focused because if you don't stay focused, God, that's the only way that he's going to get you.

[294] Right.

[295] So by him, bite me on my ear when, and I knew I was getting ready to bite him back.

[296] but my corner person started telling me keep my mind on the Lord and because the prophet told me and say the only way he can get you to get your mind he gonna do something to you I thought he'd go hit me with an elbow head button anything like that but I never ever thought in my life he would bite him on the ear and bite a chunky ear on and it hurts so bad and people something how bad didn't hurt I said did you see how high I jumped I said no it was crazy you just leaped up in the air yeah yeah after the end hurt so bad and I said then I said then that guy my corner guy Tim Hallmark kept telling me keep my mind on the Lord and I ain't want to hear that you know even though even though he was saying that and I was man I was still I was just trying to remember that get him I want to bite him.

[297] I really wanted to bite him back.

[298] And all of a sudden, it hit my mind that they always catch the second person.

[299] Right.

[300] I'm telling you, anything in life, and I'm the one that people always did something to them.

[301] They will always catch me. And I was the only one to get caught all the time because they always catch me trying to get to get back.

[302] So revenge is the Lord.

[303] So you don't go get back because you're going to get caught.

[304] Yeah, I was amazed that they didn't stop the fight immediately.

[305] Well, they came back and checked, and he asked me, you all right?

[306] And I said, yeah, because I at least wanted to hit him.

[307] Right.

[308] I really wanted to hit him.

[309] I was really upset.

[310] Well, he tried to bite you twice, right?

[311] Well, yeah, he bit me twice.

[312] He bit you twice.

[313] He bit me. When we went back in and he thought I was going to be scared, and he seen him, I caught him with these two shots.

[314] And he bit me again.

[315] Man, and I jumped back, and I was just getting ready to kick him in a bowl.

[316] And the bell rang, and I went back to the corner, and boy, and I was so doggone mad, I was really going to get him.

[317] And they stopped the fight.

[318] Yeah.

[319] And then I got mad because they stopped the fight.

[320] Because you were going to get him.

[321] I wanted to get him back.

[322] Well, it seemed like he thought that you were going to get him, and he was trying to find a way out.

[323] Well, yeah.

[324] That's the only thing that made sense.

[325] Well, yeah.

[326] But the thing is, the only thing that I guess with me and what I stand on is that I was able to forgive him.

[327] And that has been the turnaround in my life to tend to make people, people always wondered about the ear bite.

[328] And I said, but I forgave it.

[329] And everybody I said, so what's special about that?

[330] I said, but everywhere I go around the world with the Muslim, of whatever, and people say, wow, this guy can forgive.

[331] How can you forgive when you're already beating the guy?

[332] Yeah.

[333] I said, but, you know, but it's what life have to be if you're going to survive with even your brothers and sisters.

[334] Because if you don't forgive nobody, you're going to be a mad person.

[335] You're going to find yourself locked up.

[336] Right, right.

[337] And it's going to haunt you.

[338] Whereas if you forgave him, it took a weight off your shoulders?

[339] Yes.

[340] I'm sorry.

[341] I'm the, I, Mike and I, we do a lot of things together because the forgiveness part.

[342] It's cool to see you two together now.

[343] I mean, when I have seen things that you've done together, I'm like, wow, it's crazy.

[344] Like after he bit you, those crazy fights, and to see you together laughing and joking around together, it's pretty interesting.

[345] Well, I'm telling me, when you tell people, you know, when you don't choose your parents, you don't choose your neighborhood, you ain't choose your skin color, you ain't choose to be told.

[346] all the short, but you know, this is your statue.

[347] And two people, two people who came from the ghetto who boxed and boxed was the only thing I did real well, okay, and football.

[348] But the thing is that after all that, look at how much money we made doing something that we, by doing it properly, we make money.

[349] Yeah.

[350] We make money and we can both, you know, raise our family and the way that.

[351] that we want to raise them.

[352] How long did it take after the fight before you forgave him?

[353] I think after about time I got into the locker room and everybody started complaining.

[354] I can't believe he did this, this, this, this.

[355] I said, look, I said, did he bite you?

[356] They said, no, okay.

[357] I said, he bit me, right?

[358] And I said, now I'm going to forgive him.

[359] And you know what?

[360] Y 'all got to forgive him too.

[361] Wow.

[362] They said, what do you mean?

[363] forgiven.

[364] I said, he ain't bite you.

[365] I said, he bit me. I said, look, I'm forgiven.

[366] Wow.

[367] So you forgave him in the locker room right after the fight?

[368] Yes.

[369] Because the thing is, the thing is I, you know, I was really mad coming down, and people throwing water and people are mad, and they're upset because they ain't get a chance to see what they really wanted to see.

[370] Right.

[371] Like this.

[372] And so, they were mad, and they were upset.

[373] And I asked, you know, me, I figured, who in control, God.

[374] So I said, Lord, what is this thing all about it?

[375] He said, forgiven.

[376] And I said, who in the world want to forgive?

[377] But this is what it is.

[378] We're the two very important people that everybody come to see, and they need to know that forgiveness is a big part of life.

[379] And so I was able to do that.

[380] So in the point of being able to do that, you know, I realized that it made my life better all over the world.

[381] you got a Kleenex?

[382] Kleenex?

[383] Yeah, sure.

[384] That's a very powerful thing, man. It really is.

[385] That's a very powerful decision.

[386] And, you know, it's a very powerful statement, you know, for you to forgive him after that.

[387] I mean, that really, that probably did a lot of good for a lot of people to realize, man, if Van der Holyfield can forgive Mike Tyson after he bit a chunk of his ear off.

[388] I mean, that's a strong statement of character right there.

[389] Why, you know, the thing is, I didn't, now, a little early than that, they may not would have got that.

[390] They would have got some of those.

[391] You bit his face.

[392] But it's amazing how, what time would do for you.

[393] Right, right.

[394] At one point in time, something would have happened.

[395] Right.

[396] But because they gave me a little time to think about it and gave me. And I was like, and, you know, and, you know, what me, when things, things don't go right.

[397] I go back to the prayer and say, Lord, what this is all about?

[398] Right.

[399] And he said, forgiveness.

[400] And, you know, and I wouldn't be who I am is it wasn't from forgiveness.

[401] I'm saying, everybody I don't fell short somewhere.

[402] Right.

[403] And like that.

[404] So, you know, the whole big thing is, and I talked to, a week after that, I talked to my, we were, we said the all -star basketball game in New York.

[405] and I looked up and everybody was streaming and I wonder what they were streaming about telling me to watch out.

[406] I'm like, watch out for who.

[407] I looked up with Mike and he had this big bear coat and he, like this.

[408] And so everybody was telling me and it wanted me that Mike, Mike there.

[409] He had a big bear skin coat?

[410] No, you know, he had a big fur coat.

[411] He had a big fur coat and stuff like that and he wouldn't do nothing to shake hands.

[412] Wow.

[413] Wow, a week after.

[414] A week after, you know what I'm saying?

[415] So your ear is probably still sore.

[416] No, no, I want to even, the thing is, with my ear, my ears is almost like a testimony.

[417] Right.

[418] And, you know, it's almost like you win a trophy yourself, that a person looking and said, man, he forgave the guy.

[419] So I see that more people when they see me, they look at my ear, then they see me in the other than they smile.

[420] Like I said, you know, not in anger, they smile and say, He became that guy.

[421] Wow.

[422] So when you saw Mike, did you guys talk?

[423] Yeah, yeah.

[424] A week after the fight?

[425] Yeah.

[426] What did he say to you?

[427] Matter of fact, his room was next door to mine, and I didn't know, we came out, we come out at the same time, he looked, he looked.

[428] He asked me, this is all good.

[429] I said, yeah.

[430] So we get on the elevator, the guy.

[431] Whoa.

[432] And we come down when the door opened, everybody was sharp.

[433] So they were shot One in a while we wasn't Fight Right It was just you to an elevator Or other people as well Just you to an elevator Wow And so At the shocking part And they said Man We thought they would be fighting And I told the guys Man I said you know how much money I got paid in that fight How much money Can you think we're going to fight for free Was ever talk about a third fight?

[434] I have people mention it they mention it but you know the thing is is that they want to give a lot of money and they they were asking me to try to and my own thing is that I kind of feel like it's kind of a bully for you to ask somebody to fight to fight you again when you know you're going to win again right I'm so you know so the whole big thing is you know I just didn't I didn't think that if Mike wanted to do it, I would have done it, but I wasn't going to go an ass.

[435] I think you've been a bully when you know you're better than somebody and you want to play them in something that you know you're going to beat them.

[436] Right, right.

[437] It's a challenge.

[438] It's somebody to challenge you like that I can come back and beat you.

[439] But, you know, just, you know, you feel that you better.

[440] And so I think it would be wrong for me to ask it.

[441] right no that's that's amazing i mean but that just shows what kind of a person you are like that shows what kind of character you have and that sort of defines your career that you are the guy that did always seek the big challenges yeah you know you know when it is you know i you know the nickname real deal and i was like and people asked me how you get that name real deal i said you know i just i thank god for all the anything that great and come from God at all given time you know I'm you know I had a mom who had a sick grade education but she raised me she raised the four -time headweight champion of the world she stayed on me all the time and my brothers and sisters said mom you're going to make a sister to him you don't let him go out you don't let him do nothing my mama said he's going to be all right you just wait and see and when I think about she never did give in to what nobody said about me and I became who I am and I'm just so I'm just so thankful they and the Bible said all good thing come from God anything that is good for you it came from God it sounds like you rely on your mom and you relied on your mom a lot for wisdom well that's all I had that's all I had because you know my my brothers and sisters and stuff, all of them, I don't think all of them like me a lot.

[442] They may like me a little bit.

[443] But my mama, I know my mama loved me. They like me a little bit.

[444] Yeah, but it's amazing to hear that your mother was right at every stop, at every step.

[445] You know, all of her advice, all paid out.

[446] I mean, she knew there was something special about you.

[447] Well, you know, my mom knew something special about everybody, but you had to do the work.

[448] Right.

[449] And in the art of me, it's just my mama had a heart attack.

[450] My mom had a heart attack.

[451] And so my mom would at home with me to make sure that I participated.

[452] But, you know, with everybody else, my mom worked 10 to 10 with them.

[453] Right, right, right.

[454] So I was the youngest one.

[455] So she had a heart attack when I was like, when I was about six or seven years old.

[456] So I got calling everything.

[457] So I got more whooping than everybody.

[458] So out of all that whooping, the good person showed up.

[459] Yeah, you got more advice than everybody, too, though.

[460] Have you ever thought about doing Mike's show?

[461] You know, Mike has a podcast now.

[462] I did it.

[463] Did you get high with him?

[464] No, I don't have to get high to do it now.

[465] But, you know, I did it last month.

[466] Oh, okay.

[467] Is it out already?

[468] I haven't seen it.

[469] I've got to check that episode out.

[470] That's incredible.

[471] What was it like to sit with him at the ranch and hang out with him?

[472] Well, it was okay.

[473] The thing is, you know, I was.

[474] going to answer the questions and he kind of eggs me and said, look, man, I know you're going to deal a little bit more than that.

[475] I said, you know, if I did, I forgot it, Mike.

[476] I forgot it.

[477] You let your past be your past.

[478] You know, you've got to continue to move forward.

[479] He's a different person now.

[480] Well, I think he is.

[481] I think he is.

[482] He's a very interesting guy.

[483] He's a very smart man. He's a lot smarter than what people are giving credit.

[484] A lot.

[485] Now, that's a lot.

[486] That's what they don't know about it.

[487] Yeah.

[488] I know that.

[489] Yeah.

[490] No, he's very introspective, very smart, and very humble, you know, the way he looks at life now.

[491] Like, and he doesn't even think about his old days.

[492] Like, he doesn't like that guy.

[493] He doesn't like who he used to be.

[494] It's very interesting when you talk to him.

[495] Well, your past is your past.

[496] That's what you have to leave it alone.

[497] Yeah.

[498] And he smokes $40 ,000 worth of weed a month.

[499] Well, I guess you have the money.

[500] You don't have to worry about it.

[501] Well, you're involved in CBD now, right?

[502] Yes, yes, I am.

[503] This is what Reson Sports is?

[504] Yes.

[505] How amazing is CBD?

[506] It's incredible, right?

[507] Well, it's amazing how good it is for your health.

[508] Yes.

[509] And so many people have, you know, your kids.

[510] You're like, your kids don't even ask to have the problem, and some of them come up with these problems.

[511] If you then have this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, CBD, then your kids probably wouldn't be, when functioned as properly as they function.

[512] It's amazing.

[513] It's got so much, this stuff got so much benefit, even though if you take advantage of anything, too much anything that's not good for you.

[514] Right, but I mean, I don't think there's any way you can overdose on CBD, right?

[515] It's all just healthy for you.

[516] It's just oils.

[517] Well, I know it's oil and different things.

[518] How much of it do you take a day?

[519] For me?

[520] I rub it on my leg and stuff like that and I just now found that they got some oil drops that are really good for you Now I didn't know that Oh, the oral drops, yeah Yeah, yeah So that you put on your tongue Yeah, I love those, yeah See, I didn't know that Now now that I know that I'm taking me some drops Yeah, I do both I take the drops and I rub it on my muscles as well And they say it's good for your memory And all this and stuff like that Now I didn't know that Now, I'm going to probably remember a lot of stuff for that.

[521] Well, you got through a crazy boxing career remarkably well.

[522] I mean, your health is there.

[523] You look great.

[524] And do you have any injuries or anything that still carries with you after all those years?

[525] See, that's the thing.

[526] I juiced a lot.

[527] I juiced it.

[528] Like, me, man, the best of the juice and all that I did that I ate very clean with stuff like that.

[529] Did you have nutritionists that prepared your meals?

[530] I had some people talked about nutrition, but I kind of ate the way that I want because, but I knew, but I was very disciplined and what food to eat and what not to eat.

[531] When you were eating, did you, did you meal plan or did you just eat whatever you wanted to?

[532] Like, what was a typical meal for Avandy Hallfield?

[533] When a Vanderholyfield, when you were in like your peak condition and you're training for a fight, Like, what would be like a typical meal during camp?

[534] Well, you know, you know, I, like, I juice, like, I ain't like, I ain't like nothing green.

[535] So I have to juice it, right.

[536] I juice the green stuff.

[537] Spinach, kale, that kind of stuff.

[538] Yeah, I do that.

[539] I do that.

[540] That's the first thing I put in there.

[541] Then I get a chance to eat what I want to eat.

[542] And so I like steaks.

[543] And I like chicken a lot, but, you know, the thing is that I'm like, like, pan out.

[544] I like apples.

[545] I like all this fruit stuff that you cut up, the bears and all that.

[546] These are the things that actually kind of, you know, people saying, do you have any tingling your hand, your feet or anything?

[547] I said, well, I don't have anything.

[548] I said, do I suppose to?

[549] Well, other people do?

[550] I swear, but what did they do?

[551] What did they eat?

[552] Right, right.

[553] I really ate real clean, real good.

[554] Well, tingling usually is associated with nerve damage, right?

[555] A lot of times people have back issues and neck issues.

[556] issues from years of fighting.

[557] I think even Mike had some neck surgery because of issues that he was having with his neck.

[558] But Mike did a lot of like, he did a lot of bridges, remember on his neck?

[559] He did a lot of like bridges, like wrestling type bridges where he's balancing on his neck and rolling around back and forth.

[560] That's not necessarily supposed to be the best thing for your neck either.

[561] Oh, I did that too.

[562] Did you do that?

[563] You know, I see somebody doing something and they're good.

[564] I'm going to try it out.

[565] I'm going to try it out.

[566] So did you try it out after you saw him do it?

[567] Well, no, no, no. But I'd be doing, probably before, I started doing that as a kid in football practice.

[568] Oh, okay.

[569] We rolled on the neck and all this and stuff like that.

[570] You kind of felt that, you know, you were strong as you can hold your head up in, and bridge like that.

[571] And I did that a lot.

[572] How many days did you work, like, your typical boxing workout was sparring, hitting the midst, and then road work.

[573] but you would also do strength and conditioning and like some serious physical exercise.

[574] Like how did you break up like training camp?

[575] Like how many days a week did you spend doing weight lifting type stuff and how many days were you doing the other things?

[576] Well, with the boxing part, you know, I do that, you know, five days a week and the weight lifts and the three times a week.

[577] But, you know, I always have three workout a day.

[578] Three?

[579] Yeah, three work a year.

[580] Because, you know, you guys.

[581] I said my condition coach was he was especially in conditioning so we don't we ain't going to do all he going to each and every training he going to do certain things what's the most important thing was the boxing we get the boxing part out first then then what type of run we're going to do we ain't just we ain't just run five miles you know we're going to spread sometime he'll come up with these different, these different methods that, that, that you have three work out a day, but you're tired, but you probably didn't work number 15 minutes, but you're tired.

[582] That's a tough 15 minutes.

[583] Right.

[584] And so he had these, these things that allow me to understand that whenever I get tired, this is when you know how good a shape you into what you do when you're tired.

[585] Right, right.

[586] So, you know, so it's a thinking program more so then, oh, I tired myself out and your knees hurt and your ankle and you can't do nothing the next day.

[587] You get tired out.

[588] There are 15 men that went in over and you.

[589] You got all this energy like that.

[590] So everything was about recovering.

[591] Everything about recovery, right.

[592] So he was basically shocking your system with a bunch of different kinds of workouts and then allowing you to recover.

[593] And do you think if CBD was around back then?

[594] you would have probably used it a lot, huh?

[595] I'm not for sure.

[596] I'm not for sure because the whole thing with me is understanding what do it do for me. Right.

[597] Now, I'm not, I wasn't the type of person that's concerned about you.

[598] Now, I got to understand what it's going to happen, what it's going to do for me. Right.

[599] If it makes you do this, but is it going to make me do this?

[600] Yes, C, if it's going to make me do it.

[601] It's going to make me feel good.

[602] It's going to make me be confident.

[603] And I'm going to have to depend on this the rest of my life if I started.

[604] Right.

[605] So I remember when with the Pan American game, in 1983, in 1983.

[606] So they got the cap practice to pop everybody in their neck and put them in where they can fight good because they want to see everybody win.

[607] And I'm the only one wouldn't do it.

[608] And they said, why?

[609] I said, because I don't have any money.

[610] And they said, well, we, you don't have to pay any money.

[611] I said, yeah, but if this feel good, I'm going to need it every day, and I ain't got no money.

[612] So what I'm going to do?

[613] I said, my mama told me it don't start, nothing you can you can't pay for.

[614] So I, so, so I'm the only one that didn't go to the, due to the, due to the car park to work or nothing because I didn't want nothing that I can't afford to do.

[615] Right, right.

[616] And so, of course, when after, you know, when I turned pro, coming from the pro, I was able to afford it.

[617] Then I go to capricor all the time now.

[618] But why get something new that you can't pay for?

[619] Then you're going to make up an excuse to why you didn't do good today because ain't how anybody crack.

[620] Man, ain't got anybody to do this.

[621] Anything that is done, you got to be able to afford to do it.

[622] Was it hard for you to retire?

[623] No. I just want to know that I did the very best.

[624] What I didn't want to do, I didn't want to retire and then come back.

[625] And because, you know, you do it.

[626] I have a time, do it right.

[627] My mom do it right and make, when you stop, make sure it's over.

[628] Yeah.

[629] And so, you know, and I think after one of my last fight, my last fight, I met the Cliskro brothers.

[630] and I asked them why they didn't want to fight.

[631] They said, you know, Immanuel Stewart told us, you don't need to fight him.

[632] Like that's and like that.

[633] And they chose not to fight because Emmanuel Stewart told them, you know.

[634] And but I guess the most positive thing about the whole situation when I were coming back from Russia, I'd seen the table Ali.

[635] And Ali, And Ali, when he lost against Larry Hall, he was trying to be four times.

[636] And he said, why ain't just to be happy for three?

[637] He said, why did I have to go four?

[638] When I seen that, and I said, now, why would I have to be powerful?

[639] I said, I'm on the top.

[640] Right.

[641] Why not?

[642] I'm the best that it ever been.

[643] I broke Ali practice.

[644] Why don't just just rest and be thankful?

[645] And I chose to It's because the fact of the matter Records are meant to be broken Somebody going to break it eventually Long Boston continue to go Because you're looking at You're looking for it to improve The game to improve That's a great attitude That I wish more boxers would have Because it's for fighters Many times the highs Of being a champion And winning big championship fights On television Under the Bright Lights Those highs are so high That after they get off And they retire they just miss it.

[646] They miss it so bad.

[647] And we've seen everybody, all the greats, from Larry Holmes to Sugar A. Leonard, all the greats come back.

[648] Except Hagler.

[649] Hagler never came back.

[650] And Andre Ward says he's not going to come back either.

[651] But Hagler, to me, was one of the most impressive because he's just, after that Sugar A Leonard fight, he went, we're good.

[652] I'm done.

[653] That's it.

[654] I'm saying, you know, I'm dear.

[655] It was amazing because the fact is, you know, you're accustomed to people.

[656] You know, you don't have to talk when you're a good fighter, you know what?

[657] Right.

[658] Because everybody asked me and said, why you ain't never said nothing?

[659] I was like I said, I didn't have to say that.

[660] When people look at it, they start talking about how good or hurry up.

[661] So I don't have to say nothing.

[662] Well, that was a big part of you was your humility but confidence.

[663] You were always a humble man, but always a very confident man. And as a fighter, that's a very admirable quality.

[664] Like, you didn't have a lot of haters or detractors.

[665] When you were the champ, people just appreciated who you were as a man. Yeah, but all that goes to credit my mom.

[666] My mom used to tell me, when she said, zip the lip up, zip them up now.

[667] You're talking a little too much.

[668] Talk a little too much.

[669] Sip it up.

[670] Yeah, you were never a guy that bragged.

[671] You know, when you see these guys like Floyd Mayweather that he gets so much attention, obviously he's an incredible boxer, maybe one of the best boxer, if not the best of all time.

[672] But just always talks crazy amounts of shit, but that has also got him a crazy amount of money and a crazy amount of attention.

[673] But you never went that route.

[674] Well, you know, because the fact is it wasn't about money, and I'm telling you, the love that you have and that you can account to say, anytime somebody asks me something, it's not just me. Yeah, my mama, I can always account to these people that, this boys club, like, you know, I tell people, I say, now, I start going to the boys club at the age of six years old.

[675] I said, now, I said, I didn't choose my neighborhood that I chose to live in.

[676] I said, but I said, but everybody in that neighborhood told her, you ain't going to be nothing.

[677] I'm talking, I'm talking to ask kids.

[678] You're growing up, and you were telling you ain't going to be nothing.

[679] You ain't going to be nothing.

[680] And so going to that boys and the boys love started talking about goals, what do you want to be?

[681] I'm saying, you know, now, off that kid, I can't lie and say, they always ask me, what do you want to be?

[682] So, yeah, I just know, I want to be great.

[683] They say, and what?

[684] So, well, if you don't do nothing, you got to find out what you want to be great.

[685] So you let you play basketball, let you play baseball, all these different things every day.

[686] You know, you're an age group, six, seven, eight years old.

[687] We go do all these different things, wood shop, you know, they wouldn't let you do what you want to do.

[688] You have to, you know, you have a group, a group of people.

[689] You have to different hours, different time you go to these different things, make sure that you learn to see all the different things that you can be.

[690] but if you know if you never was in in class and have rules to tell you to do what you want to do you may not ever become nothing I became who I am because I went to that boys club and they they wanted me to learn all these different things you find that you ain't going to be great in everything but at least you know when to be quiet when to talk when not to because you're not going to be the greatest one in all the things that you do do you have any regrets when you look back on your your championship career?

[691] Not at all.

[692] Nothing?

[693] Not at all.

[694] My whole thing is that, you know, I'm a lot better than what I'd even dreamed of or whatever thought about and like this.

[695] But all these things that I wanted to be, you know what?

[696] The ultimate thing I wanted to do to make my mama proud.

[697] I wanted my mama to be proud of me because my mama cried so much about what you should have did, And, you know, and I just wanted to be one of the ones that I did what my mama said and she was proud of me and all that.

[698] And eventually it became that way.

[699] Well, how could she not be proud of you?

[700] Well, I'm, you know, four -time heavyweight champion.

[701] I mean, you're a Vanderholyfield.

[702] But, you know, when I came back from the Olympics, now, I kind of had that ego a little bit because I have done something that nobody else.

[703] done in my family.

[704] So I bought my mom a house, but she didn't want the house that I want to give her.

[705] Now, I want to put in a nice neighborhood.

[706] She didn't want to be in a nice neighborhood.

[707] She said, I want to be by the bus stop.

[708] She's because I don't want to be depended on when you're going to come pick me up or not.

[709] I said, my man, in good.

[710] They don't have bus stop called people.

[711] They don't want everybody seeing what they got called people still.

[712] My mama said, but I don't want to depend on you because I don't know when you're going to come over here and not, I need to be able to bust out.

[713] Wow.

[714] So I was kind of upset because I want to buy my mom that's nice house for me to talk about.

[715] My mom want to get a house that ain't nobody want to talk about as a big old old house.

[716] But my mama didn't care about that.

[717] My mama care about if everybody come home, everybody got a room.

[718] Now, I want to give her a three.

[719] Three bed rooms.

[720] She wanted to get an eight -bedroom for nothing.

[721] Now, our house is going to call $2 .50 on one.

[722] On one, it's called $50 ,000.

[723] And so she wanted to take the $50 ,000.

[724] I'm trying to figure I want something I can brag about.

[725] I bought my mama.

[726] But my mama said, you know, son, she said, son, I love more than you.

[727] I love them too.

[728] These, my kids just like, I don't love you no more.

[729] I love them.

[730] Right.

[731] And so when my mama told me that I came to understand that, she would thinking about if everybody came home, everybody have a room.

[732] But you come in that three -bed room, and there ain't going to be enough room for everybody.

[733] What was the size of the house that you built?

[734] You built some crazy, gigantic.

[735] 54 ,000 square feet.

[736] What?

[737] Yeah.

[738] 54 ,000 square feet.

[739] Yes.

[740] Why did you build a house that big?

[741] Well, the thing is, I thought about all the things that I didn't have, and I thought about what I could afford, and I was thinking about generation.

[742] you're not this I didn't build a house just for the family and now for the grandkids and I figured you know I love my kids and they were going to have some kids and then they're going to have some kids so you know you will have a place still for everybody oh so it's practical to me to me in Westcar you only do what you can afford to do right and you could afford to make a 54 ,000 square foot house Jesus, how many acres was that thing on?

[743] Well, we had our 175 acres.

[744] When that was done, that must have been crazy.

[745] Yeah, it caused a lot more than it probably would have if I would have thought about it, if I knew what I know today.

[746] Right.

[747] And then, you know, it...

[748] Like, what was different?

[749] Different is.

[750] I've just, I just got people to do it and didn't have no organization and getting professional, people who know how to do it.

[751] It just caused, the house costs me a lot more than it should have.

[752] It was a famous house because it was so big and so expensive.

[753] Yeah, well, yeah, yeah.

[754] But, you know, cause you, then somebody, then somebody get it a little cheaper than you.

[755] You're kind of mad.

[756] Oh, when you sold it, you mean?

[757] Yeah.

[758] Yeah.

[759] Yeah.

[760] How much did you wind up selling it for?

[761] You know, $5 million.

[762] And how much did you build it for?

[763] A 20.

[764] Wow.

[765] That's a big hit.

[766] Well, yeah, yeah.

[767] Somebody got a deal.

[768] Well, but, you know, but it's part of life.

[769] You learn from your mistakes.

[770] Who's living in it now?

[771] A guy named Rick Ross.

[772] Rick Ross, the rapper?

[773] Yep.

[774] Really?

[775] Yep.

[776] That's crazy.

[777] Yep.

[778] Good for him.

[779] Yeah, and they're doing the movie Coming to America there.

[780] Are they really?

[781] Yep, feminine.

[782] Yeah, so I'll be a part of it, too.

[783] You're in that, right?

[784] Coming to America.

[785] Two, right?

[786] Yep.

[787] When is that starting a film?

[788] Coming up in about a week or two.

[789] Is that Eddie Murphy as well?

[790] Yes.

[791] And Arsenio Hall?

[792] Is he in that?

[793] All right, man. That's beautiful.

[794] That's going to be crazy to be in your old house.

[795] Yeah.

[796] Well, it ain't crazy, but, you know, I get invited over there a lot, and they still call it my house.

[797] I only feel bad to.

[798] Well, you designed it, right?

[799] Oh, yeah.

[800] Yeah, I did.

[801] Did you put a gym in it?

[802] Jim, I put everything.

[803] Pretty much I copied off Scarface, the movie Scarface, you know.

[804] That's the only movie that I've seen that, you know, people come up in a tough situation, and they become all that they are.

[805] Right.

[806] And so I thought that in one way or another, I'm not that, but I came up a tough way to.

[807] Right.

[808] And so the thing is that you want your kids to have.

[809] more than you have and something better.

[810] Well, that's what, I mean, every great champion wants that.

[811] They want a house that shows, like, this is where the heavyweight champion of the world lives.

[812] And when you've got 175 acres and 54 ,000 square feet and the way that house looked like, that looks like a world championship house.

[813] Well, I had a ring look like a championship belt, too.

[814] Really?

[815] So, yeah, like, shape back to a championship belt, yeah.

[816] Is there pictures of that online?

[817] I want to see that.

[818] How long did it take to build that?

[819] A year.

[820] Just a year?

[821] Yeah.

[822] Damn.

[823] That's fast.

[824] For a house that's 54 ,000 square feet?

[825] Well, you know, but they did.

[826] Wow.

[827] Do you still live in Atlanta now?

[828] No, I live in Fort Lauderdale.

[829] What are you doing down there?

[830] Well, you know, it's good for tax and all that.

[831] Oh, yeah, for sure.

[832] Florida's got great tax rules.

[833] Yeah, there it is right now.

[834] You can see the house from the roof.

[835] That is a crazy spread.

[836] Look at the size of your pool.

[837] Yep.

[838] You get lost in that pool.

[839] That's just like the championship belt.

[840] That's amazing.

[841] Yeah.

[842] That is amazing.

[843] Now, do you still work in boxing?

[844] Do you train fighters or anything like that?

[845] Do you work with anybody?

[846] No, I'm part of the promotion.

[847] I'm part of the promotion.

[848] And the problem thing is that I don't exactly want to coach on one person because I don't want to be that adversers that if I'm in your calling, they're going to just going to give it to you.

[849] And people tend to think that.

[850] But, you know, because I know I know how it was when I was getting ready to fight, I was getting ready to fight George Foreman.

[851] And Muhammad Ali came in the ring, and he waved his hand.

[852] And so he come and tell me, he said, I'm for you.

[853] You know, tell me about, yeah.

[854] Then he went and told George Foreman the same thing.

[855] Did he really?

[856] That's hilarious.

[857] He sure did.

[858] That's hilarious.

[859] Fighting George Foreman must have been a trip, too, because you're fighting someone from a different generation.

[860] You know, he was a legend from Ali's generation.

[861] Yeah, it was like kind of different to me. And so I didn't really want to fight George.

[862] I just wanted to fight Tyson.

[863] And so my business manager, Shelly Finkel, told me, said, Yvander, it's my job as your business manager to tell you the thing about money.

[864] He said, you know, I said, I want to get the 30.

[865] He said, no, I'm going to get you $50 million.

[866] I said, how?

[867] He said, if you fight George first, they're going to get you $20.

[868] He said, but if you fight Tyson first and get $30, they ain't going to give you $20 to fight him.

[869] Right.

[870] They don't think you could beat George.

[871] I said, man, I said, George is old.

[872] He said, yeah, but they believe George's going to knock you up.

[873] That's the only reason why they're going to give you $20 million.

[874] They're not giving you $20 million because they think it's an easy fight.

[875] Well, George, even though he was old, could still knock people out.

[876] When he knocked Michael Moore out, I mean, that was crazy.

[877] Of course, he knocked him out after he lost against me. He knocked Michael Moore because I lost against Michael Moore.

[878] Yeah.

[879] Yeah, so it's show you that he didn't give up on his dream.

[880] Right.

[881] His dream was to be the champ again.

[882] Yeah.

[883] And he eventually got it.

[884] The oldest ever.

[885] Oldest ever guy to regain the championship.

[886] Yeah, and I kind of said it because I think I was supposed to be the oldest because, you know, that big old Russian, that was.

[887] Yes.

[888] Value well, I'll follow him.

[889] Yes.

[890] And ESPN, they scored it.

[891] They had me 111.

[892] Mm -hmm.

[893] And they get a decision to value well.

[894] Yeah.

[895] No, I saw that fight.

[896] That was a bad decision.

[897] Yeah, I said, and it was just sad.

[898] You should have won.

[899] How old were you at that time?

[900] I was 4 to 6.

[901] So you were a year older.

[902] Yeah.

[903] And so Constantel Tyson, I said, you know, I can tell that we had the best error.

[904] I was because you're the youngest heavyweight champion in the world, and I suppose be the oldest one.

[905] Like that.

[906] So I said, what?

[907] how they ever done it.

[908] You had both of the people.

[909] Yeah.

[910] The youngest of it.

[911] True.

[912] Yeah.

[913] I said, because, you know, you know, because at the time, it was amazing.

[914] Tyson did this thing at 20 years old.

[915] 20 years old.

[916] And I said, because I had a lot of people they would talk about and say, oh, you know what?

[917] You know, you were just a great.

[918] I said, but I said, Tyson was 20.

[919] I said, I ain't know what I would have been if I would have been somebody at 20.

[920] Right.

[921] I said, you know, I said, you're talking about a kid.

[922] Right.

[923] I said, I said, hey, maybe with you.

[924] having a world at 28 years old.

[925] And everybody said, well, you act so different.

[926] 28, and a 20 year old, you're going to see so different.

[927] A lot more maturity.

[928] Yeah.

[929] It's a different person.

[930] Yeah, being 20 and winning the heavyweight championship of the world, I don't know who could do that and not go crazy.

[931] Well, because the thing is he was the most photographed person at that time.

[932] Yeah.

[933] Every time you look up, you see Mike on it.

[934] Yeah.

[935] You see Mike on it.

[936] I'm saying, and did a lot of incredible stuff, too.

[937] He certainly did.

[938] what do you think about today's era of boxings but particularly the heavyweight division I mean it's it's real exciting right now I think it's coming back yes I think coming back you know Ruiz don't sneak through the picture and and and I like that because here's a guy you look and you may think he can't fight right fight him dude he can fight yeah that Andy Ruiz can throw some combinations sure I'm like and I was I was telling a friend of mine I would tell a friend of my eyes and I said now I said they picked the wrong guy he said what you talk about man that point he don't look like he said I see he just looked like that he can fight I said I spar with it I say he the first person I ever spar that I say I never want to fight really yeah I said he was that he was that good I'm saying you know now at that time I was I was four to six so he had to be probably 19 and I just said and that's my first time ever seeing a guy and I said I don't want to fight him like this I were glad that I retired after 4 to 6th oh he has beautiful combinations and you look at his body and you say oh that's a guy that's overweight but underneath all that fat there's an incredible athlete but that's what I'm saying you know so you just can't you just can't go by eyes how I look these things.

[939] Because Anthony Joshua looks like a Greek god.

[940] He sure did.

[941] I mean, he looks like he's carved out of stone.

[942] Oh, yeah, and he knocked him down.

[943] The guy got up and knocked him down three times.

[944] Crazy.

[945] And then you got Deontay Wilder, who's one of the craziest heavyweight knockout artists ever.

[946] I mean, that guy has preposterous power.

[947] Well, you know, I'm saying, you know, because people ask me by him.

[948] I said, well, you know what?

[949] I was the only thing I can say, he's from Alabama, too.

[950] I said, I'm from Alabama.

[951] Some in the water.

[952] I said, but it's his confidence.

[953] You know, Dion, he go in, he go in, and he fight his fight.

[954] And when he can see that shy, he's throwing it, and everybody's, but he get wild at the end.

[955] I said, at least he know the guy hurt, though.

[956] I said, he don't get wild before the guy gets hurt.

[957] But he didn't know the guy hurt.

[958] I said so he can take chance to throwing a looping shot like this because the guy hurt.

[959] I said, but at least he's smart enough to know.

[960] But I remember the time when he got hurt, he got knocked down and all that.

[961] And one thing did he show he had confidence called people who don't have confidence.

[962] They get hurt.

[963] They start trying to run.

[964] Right.

[965] When he got hurt, he came forth, and that's the reason why he was able to survive that round.

[966] Then the next round, he knocked the guy out.

[967] Well, Ortiz and him are going to have a rematch.

[968] Yeah, I'm saying that's the guy that it was.

[969] And Ortiz is no joke.

[970] He's a dangerous fighter.

[971] Wait, that's really not going to figure out why you would give another chance.

[972] Which shows his confidence.

[973] Confidence.

[974] He showed confidence because of the fact that the matter.

[975] Now, ain't nobody, even after that fight, want to fight Ortiz still.

[976] True.

[977] I'm going to wish him to go away.

[978] Yeah.

[979] Because he's a good fight, and he's one of the most clever fighters out then.

[980] And that's the reason I'm like, okay, you did it one time, okay, you know, why?

[981] Let him knock somebody else out and let him upset somebody before he come back.

[982] And Ortiz is getting old.

[983] I mean, no one even knows how old he really is because he's from Cuba.

[984] You know, there's speculation that he's 50 years old.

[985] People don't even know.

[986] Right, yeah, they don't.

[987] But he's an amazing fighter.

[988] He's so skilled out of that Cuban amateur program.

[989] I mean, his boxing is just top -notch.

[990] and he had Deontay in all sorts of trouble.

[991] But you're right, Walder showed that he could overcome adversity and that his power, that's one of the more impressive things about him.

[992] His power doesn't go away.

[993] He keeps that power, like, deep in the 12th round when he knocked out Tyson Fury or knocked down, Tyson Fury.

[994] In the 12th round, it looked like it was over.

[995] But that's what I'm saying.

[996] Yeah.

[997] This is what you were talking about confidence.

[998] And I told him, I said, look, man, I said, I said, you're the only person that I know that tall and lighter than me. That's true, right?

[999] I'm like, he, he fought 2 .30, he fight 2 .13.

[1000] He was 209 when he fought Tyson Fury.

[1001] 209, the day of the fight.

[1002] Crazy.

[1003] I said, that one's saying, I'm like, I'm like, I say, that's what you're talking confidence and all this.

[1004] Yeah.

[1005] I like that, I said, you know, but he don't worry about it.

[1006] Right.

[1007] I'm like, you know, no, he don't care.

[1008] See, and that's what, that's why I like it.

[1009] certain people to me. With me, everybody said, man, they started talking about this stuff.

[1010] I said, look, I don't care about that.

[1011] I can fight, man. Yeah.

[1012] And you know what?

[1013] When he started talking to people, and people get scared of because he said, look, man, I can fight.

[1014] I know what I could do.

[1015] Yeah.

[1016] You know, all he got to do is hit you with that big right hands.

[1017] Or the left hand.

[1018] I got that one's saying because he, because I seen him when he hit this boy, now I'm doing a little hook.

[1019] I said, oh, man, he got a hook now.

[1020] Well, that 12th round, it was a right hand and a left hook behind it and snapped Tyson's head back.

[1021] But, I mean, Tyson Fury is incredible, too, man. That guy got up after that.

[1022] 99 % of the people on planet Earth would still be out cold after those two punches.

[1023] But what I try to get people to see, I say, now, the referee then supposed to let him get up.

[1024] Most people, most fighters would get up.

[1025] But the referee, well, a dive on you, a jump on, you won't let you get up.

[1026] And say that, because for you to lay.

[1027] flat like that for four or five seconds they're supposed to do that right most referees would have called it off right there yeah yeah well thank God he didn't well you know I'm not for sure because it messed up the whole thing he would have been the champ and so now but aren't you excited that he got up and then Tyson Fury went up winning the rest of the round well wait yeah he did he did but still when you do the thing right your job for to be saving the fighter right I see what you're saying so you think the referee should have probably saved yeah I'm the referee's supposed to do with it my own thing because I'm saying if it was anybody else they would have did it you know what bothers me what bothers me is the count was more than 10 seconds well that's what I'm saying that's what bothers me what bothers me is I think it shouldn't be the referee going one two it should be a number like there should be like a timer they do have a timer they had a timer this is how you know They have a guy When the referee in thinking he count two Right But he's counting But I want a number Like a digital clock That shows you 10 actual seconds I think they should have something like that Because to leave it up to the referee Some referee is like One two three Other referees like One Two And that's not seconds That's not seconds It's too subjective You know what Because even after that The referee She brush the gloves Look at and look at A couple other seconds When you look at it, he had about 30 seconds.

[1028] He had 30 seconds.

[1029] And then they said, oh, he would come back.

[1030] I said, but, you know, they went and did that to anybody else.

[1031] Right.

[1032] I said, but how about, now, now what bothered me was, what bothered me?

[1033] I said, how do you, I say, if he go in the other country and fight and the other, and the guy doing him like this, they stopping the fight.

[1034] Right.

[1035] A lot of referees would have stopped that fight.

[1036] I said they stopped the fight.

[1037] I said, now, I said, how is it when somebody can come in your country and you give them the ups?

[1038] Right, right, right.

[1039] I said, I said, something is wrong with that.

[1040] I just think it was because it was such a big fight.

[1041] Like, everybody wanted to see that fight.

[1042] It was such a huge fight.

[1043] Well, you know, even though I'm saying you go in another country, you know if that fight closed anywhere, you're not kidding it.

[1044] Right, right.

[1045] You're not getting it.

[1046] Right.

[1047] And you get, like, just like, like, I'll hit that guy.

[1048] The guy didn't even throw no puncher, something in the round.

[1049] I remember they asked the guy and said, how could you win a round when you didn't throw a punch in that round?

[1050] The only person who's ever done that is Willie Pep.

[1051] Right?

[1052] Willie Pep won rounds just by being a slick defensive fighter.

[1053] But he was so impressive that people gave him the round anyway.

[1054] Yeah.

[1055] You know, that fight was, that was a fight that begged for a rematch, just beg for a rematch.

[1056] And it bothers me, it's one of the things that bothers me about boxing sometimes is that these fights, they don't, they don't come to fruition.

[1057] And then if, I mean, he almost lost in his, Tyson with that cut in his last fight.

[1058] I mean, that was a bad cut.

[1059] Yeah.

[1060] They could have stopped that fight, you know?

[1061] Yeah, because, but, you know, they stop it.

[1062] They stop it when they want to stop it.

[1063] So you've got to understand who leading this thing off to a point where that you've got to get.

[1064] In the game, with me and the bar game, I just wanted to be right because I know how important it is for anybody who put their life online to be a fighter.

[1065] And won't you say it was fair.

[1066] I did it.

[1067] I did my all.

[1068] At least I got my opportunity.

[1069] Yeah.

[1070] Well, listen, Evander, I really appreciate your time.

[1071] I really appreciate you coming in here.

[1072] And like I said, I've been a giant fan your entire career.

[1073] So it was an honor to meet you and an honor to have you on here, brother.

[1074] Thank you very much.

[1075] Thank you.

[1076] Evander Holyfield, ladies and gentlemen.

[1077] Thank you, sir.

[1078] Bye, everybody.