1 2 3 4 5 Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Hello everyone. I'm a friend of AJ's from another forum. I used to box professionally from time to time, but nowadays I still spar. I've sparred with many legends. AJ asked to me describe what it is like to be in the ring with them and gauge their punching power. I will not reveal my name for personal reasons, but under anoymousity I feel a bit safer. If you want to know my identity send me an email, but I doubt you've heard of me anyway. I only had three professional fights.



I fought Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe as an amateur.



Riddicks power wasnt memorable to me. It probably got better as he got older, cause he never even remotely buzzed me in either of our contests.



Lennox hit like a fucking tank. He cowed me; I won the first round, and he literally broke my spirit and took my soul with a right uppercut and straight right hand in the 2nd. I tried to stay away, and forgot to punch. He never got me quite as good again, but I will never forget those two punches. When we sparred years later, he hit very hard. Distinctly unpleasant to be hit by the man.



David Tua was unpleasant. I can't see myself getting stopped by him early, as he never really staggers me, but every shot hurt, and he'd bang. Every other guy I ever sparred would box when I got aggressive, but David would stand his ground and give. I'd get these horrible headaches after sparring with him, and Dave told me once that whenever he knew I was on the dance card, he'd drink extra water for his brain. Nice guy. Hit like a wrecking ball. David Tua hit hard enough to knock my headgear clean around my face. Dude had a pretty limited style, but that left was quick as a cobra when he was sharp, and boy did it have bite. Having sparred them both, Wladimir would school Tua and probably turn out his lights. He just lacks almost any sort of refinement to his violence. Granted, I don't really either unless I'm really, really on that day, but the best heavyweights I've sparred handled me a lot easier than David did.

Feels kinda bad critiquing the dude, though. He's a fun guy, super hospitable and friendly, hit like a truck and put me through plenty of painful paces. I only hope our careers and lives don't end up with me required to face him with 12's and no mask. I can't afford the surgery.



Evander Holyfield was a machine gun. He put me on my butt first round we ever sparred with a 7 or 8 punch volley. He just punched well; He'd move around and when he let them go, they hit, hard and fast and in large numbers. He was the weakest of the group since Bowe, but probably the most dangerous. He never found me difficult to find, and turned me into a bobble head more than once.



George Foreman was tricky. His jab was absolutely numbing-Ive never felt a jab like that, where your whole face would feel like it got novacained after he hit you with it. He'd also throw light punches primarily, almost pitty pat, till he had the opening, and then he'd wallop you. His punches had the most force; They didn't hurt any worse than Tua or Lewis, but I remember how badly they'd screw with my balance. His shots moved me. He also broke my nose with a straight right.



Wladimir Klitschko hit me by far the hardest, though. I couldn't get past the jab, and his right hands hit like thunder. They reminded me of Lewis', but they were quicker and sharper. Wladimir staggered me regularly in sparring. There are literally whole rounds I don't remember. He also knocked me out with a left hook. Not down, out. Only time in my life I've seen canvas and not been able to stand up by 10 seconds.



Any other questions about these men, don't hesitate. Evan Fields Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others

GIFSoup Thank you for sharing this with us. The Rock will be back with more questions later. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator In reply to this post by Evolution



You read my mind regarding David Tua's chances against Wlad. Tua is limited and would lose an embarrassing decision. He might even get stopped. :(



Good points about George Foreman, too. He hit with a lot of force. I know that during his second career, he would hit you lightly and then destroy you all of a sudden with the real power punches. That's how he knocked out Michael Moorer. He landed a soft jab and then clobbered him with a booming right hand. Old George Foreman was better than the young George Foreman, in my opinion.



Thanks for stopping through, Evolution. I know the right hand of Lennox Lewis only got stronger as he aged. He hadn't quite filled out yet when you fought him.You read my mind regarding David Tua's chances against Wlad. Tua is limited and would lose an embarrassing decision. He might even get stopped. :(Good points about George Foreman, too. He hit with a lot of force. I know that during his second career, he would hit you lightly and then destroy you all of a sudden with the real power punches. That's how he knocked out Michael Moorer. He landed a soft jab and then clobbered him with a booming right hand. Old George Foreman was better than the young George Foreman, in my opinion. Zorro Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Evolution I could tell right off that you sparred with old Foreman judging by how you described his style. He was an intelligent fighter with a heavy jab and brilliant ring smarts. Thank you for telling us these stories.



Thanks also for emphatizing the punching power of Lennox Lewis. His power is underrated. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator In reply to this post by Evolution Evolution wrote Wladimir Klitschko hit me by far the hardest, though. I couldn't get past the jab, and his right hands hit like thunder. They reminded me of Lewis', but they were quicker and sharper. Wladimir staggered me regularly in sparring. There are literally whole rounds I don't remember. He also knocked me out with a left hook. Not down, out. Only time in my life I've seen canvas and not been able to stand up by 10 seconds. The Klitschko brothers can really bang but they prefer to fight like scientists. It sounds like Wlad really let you have it that day. He used his left hook more daringly than Lewis, who generally used his left hook only in combinations. Wlad would crush you with a left hook without warning. The Klitschko brothers can really bang but they prefer to fight like scientists. It sounds like Wlad really let you have it that day. He used his left hook more daringly than Lewis, who generally used his left hook only in combinations. Wlad would crush you with a left hook without warning. Shane Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Evolution This is great....a fresh perspective on sparring with some of the greats. Evander Holyfield is just what I imagined he'd be based on your description; a sharp puncher with slick moves and excellent countering ability. No punches are wasted and every shot stuns you. What a warrior. Zorro Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Did you spar with anyone else, Evolution? Evan Fields Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Evolution

GIFSoup How would you rate your chin, Evolution? It sounds like you have a great beard. Urban Legend Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others I've always wanted to talk to a first hand victim of George Foreman's power. Thank you for sharing.

However I still think David Tua's power is overrated to a degree. What big names with good chins has he knocked out? Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others This post was updated on . @Zorro. I've sparred with a few middleweights here and there, and I got it on with Buster Douglas and Bert Cooper in sparring sessions too.



@The Gr8 One: I think I have a good chin. I've only been knocked out once and that was by Wlad. I've been staggered and hurt plenty of times. I've been dropped a few times too but only KO'd once.



@Urban Legend: No sir!! David Tua's punching power is not overrated. I can attest to that. He and George Foreman have a similar feel but Big George is a much better fighter. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator In reply to this post by Urban Legend Urban Legend wrote However I still think David Tua's power is overrated to a degree. What big names with good chins has he knocked out? David Tua knocked out Hasim Rahman, Michael Moorer, (in 30 seconds) John Ruiz (19 seconds) and Oleg Maskavez, all of whom are former world champions. The left hook of David Tua is no joke. I've seen him stop some guys with a single body shot. David Tua knocked out Hasim Rahman, Michael Moorer, (in 30 seconds) John Ruiz (19 seconds) and Oleg Maskavez, all of whom are former world champions. The left hook of David Tua is no joke. I've seen him stop some guys with a single body shot. Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others I got an email asking if I ever sparred with Mike Tyson. My run-ins with Mike were not good.



Me and Mike grew up in the same neighborhood for quite awhile before I moved to PA permanently(Not just summers).



Never was a very nice guy, but he was better in the teen form. We built a bit of a rapport(NY boxers) and had some jokes. I would even call us friendly.



I encountered him later in the aftermath of the Holyfield rematch. I asked him "How are you doing champ?" It did not go well. He and his, I guess you would call them posse, berated me for even having the balls to talk to him. I informed him of my identity, in case he didn't know. He asked me, rather sternly and with many curses, not to pretend I knew him.



He seems more calm and mellow lately, and I'm sure the days following his DQ loss weren't pleasant for him, but its about as aggressive and rude as a man has ever been to my face, and my opinions of him are, by extension, a little bit jaded. Zombies Ate Me Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others I'm not surprised that Mike was an a$$hole to you, especially back then, homie. His life was chaotic but he's doing much better now. He might even apologize to you if you saw him. He has matured. I think you ran into him right at his breaking point unfortuneattly.



Tell me what it was like sparring with Buster Douglas and Bert Cooper :) And what is your style like in the ring? Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Zombies Ate Me wrote I'm not surprised that Mike was an a$$hole to you, especially back then, homie. His life was chaotic but he's doing much better now. He might even apologize to you if you saw him. He has matured. I think you ran into him right at his breaking point unfortuneattly.



Tell me what it was like sparring with Buster Douglas and Bert Cooper :) And what is your style like in the ring? Buster Douglas was lazy. I used to do really well against him. I was shocked when he knocked out Mike Tyson, as was the rest of the world. He was moving good, throwing double jabs and throwing some solid combinations and big punches. I didn't know he had it in him!!! He was not the same guy I used to beat up in the gym everyday.



I met Joe Frazier when he was an older gentleman, so naturally I never sparred with him. But I could tell that he trained Smokin' Bert Cooper. Bert stayed on me and didn't give me any chance to compose myself. Unlike prime Frazier he threw right hands, too. He hit hard. He routinely knocked out his sparring partners and I was one of the few to never get knocked out by him, although he put me on the canvas twice. Of course Bert was not as good as Joe Frazier (not even close) but fighting him was a mere hint of what I imagine it would be like to fight Smokin' Joe--the constant pressure, body shots, huge power, etc.



My style? I'm about six feet, four inches. 230 pounds.



I try to cut the ring and land my right hand, working behind the jab. People have said I look like a big, slow Shannon Briggs, but unlike Shannon, I generally don't get aggressive until I have my man hurt.



Buster Douglas was lazy. I used to do really well against him. I was shocked when he knocked out Mike Tyson, as was the rest of the world. He was moving good, throwing double jabs and throwing some solid combinations and big punches. I didn't know he had it in him!!! He was not the same guy I used to beat up in the gym everyday.I met Joe Frazier when he was an older gentleman, so naturally I never sparred with him. But I could tell that he trained Smokin' Bert Cooper. Bert stayed on me and didn't give me any chance to compose myself. Unlike prime Frazier he threw right hands, too.. He routinely knocked out his sparring partners and I was one of the few to never get knocked out by him, although he put me on the canvas twice. Of course Bert was not as good as Joe Frazier (not even close) but fighting him was a mereof what I imagine it would be like to fight Smokin' Joe--the constant pressure, body shots, huge power, etc.My style? I'm about six feet, four inches. 230 pounds.I try to cut the ring and land my right hand, working behind the jab. People have said I look like a big, slow Shannon Briggs, but unlike Shannon, I generally don't get aggressive until I have my man hurt. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator This post was updated on . Evolution wrote Buster Douglas was lazy. I used to do really well against him. I was shocked when he knocked out Mike Tyson, as was the rest of the world. He was moving good, throwing double jabs and throwing some solid combinations and big punches. I didn't know he had it in him!!! He was not the same guy I used to beat up in the gym everyday.



I met Joe Frazier when he was an older gentleman, so naturally I never sparred with him. But I could tell that he trained Smokin' Bert Cooper. Bert stayed on me and didn't give me any chance to compose myself. Unlike prime Frazier he threw right hands, too. He hit hard. He routinely knocked out his sparring partners and I was one of the few to never get knocked out by him, although he put me on the canvas twice. Of course Bert was not as good as Joe Frazier (not even close) but fighting him was a mere hint of what I imagine it would be like to fight Smokin' Joe--the constant pressure, body shots, huge power, etc.



My style? I'm about six feet, four inches. 230 pounds.



I try to cut the ring and land my right hand, working behind the jab. People have said I look like a big, slow Shannon Briggs, but unlike Shannon, I generally don't get aggressive until I have my man hurt. Interesting. So you survived David Tua's left hook hundreds of times, but Bert Cooper floored you? Did he punch as hard as Tua? Interesting. So you survived David Tua's left hook hundreds of times, but Bert Cooper floored you? Did he punch as hard as Tua? Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Duggerman wrote Interesting. So you survived David Tua's left hook hundreds of times, but Bert Cooper flowed you? Did he punch as hard as Tua? They had similar power. If anything David had a small edge but either man could crush you with one shot. I used to spar with Bert in the late 80s. Back then my chin wasn't as strong as it is now. Sparring partners develop good beards because they get beat up all the time. Your body gets used to it.



By the time I started sparring with David he was rough around the edges, and I had grown used to taking punishment. So I could withstand his punches but man they hurt. Every last one of them. They had similar power. If anything David had a small edge but either man could crush you with one shot. I used to spar with Bert in the late 80s. Back then my chin wasn't as strong as it is now. Sparring partners develop good beards because they get beat up all the time. Your body gets used to it.By the time I started sparring with David he was rough around the edges, and I had grown used to taking punishment. So I could withstand his punches but man they hurt. Every last one of them. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator Out of all the men you sparred with, who was the toughest? Who would you say was the best? And who, in your opinion, is the greatest of all time? Shane Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others



Hey Evolution. You said that Holyfield is tough enough to beat anybody. Do you think he could handle prime Tyson? (1985-88) KB50MJ Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Evolution Wow. I would have never have thought that Wladimir Klitschko hit harder than David Tua and George Foreman Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Duggerman Duggerman wrote Out of all the men you sparred with, who was the toughest? Who would you say was the best? And who, in your opinion, is the greatest of all time? These are some great questions.



The toughest: Either Wladimir or Evander Holyfield. Wlad hurt me with every punch and I could never get anything going. He's the only man to knock me out. I'll never forget that left hook. Lennox had a great left hook too but chose to throw it in combinations. Wlad would crack you with it without warning.



Evander Holyfield is tough enough to beat anyone. He counters every mistake you make and always hits you off balance or with a string of effective shots at once. He recovers really quickly too. Evander was tough and full of surprises. He's one of the best fighters of all time and I felt that just from sparring with him.



The Best?: That is hard to say. I will say that Lennox Lewis deserves his praise as one of the greatest of all time. He could crack you with either hand and break your confidence. He had such long reach that we spent entire rounds where I couldn't get near enough to land a finger on him but he was comfortably plugging me with his jab from what felt like across the ring. I could rarely get close enough to land anything on Lennox and when I did he would crack me with that uppercut. He was dangerous to fight and could do it all. Brawl, slug, box, counter, everything. Lennox, Wlad and Holyfield are the best I fought but old George Foreman was a terror, too. So was Bert Cooper when he kept his head on straight.



Greatest of All time?: Muhammad Ali from the things I've heard and seen. Joe Frazier and Joe Louis were terrific fighters as well. I'd have to throw Lennox and Evander into my top ten as well. Wlad is good but I think other heavyweights would toy with him.



Prime Tyson and Prime Holyfield? I think Evander had Mike Tyson's number. I never sparred with Mike, and I might be a bit biased because he was an asshole to me but Evander knew how to deal with Mike's style. Evander used to regularly spar with men like David Tua and Gary Bell, both men who were clones of Mike Tyson. Evander also conquered Ray Mercer, another Tyson-esque heavyweight. There isn't a style around that Evander Holyfield couldn't adapt to and beat.



@KB50MJ. Yes, Wlad could crack. Hard. With men like George Foreman and David Tua it was more of the force of the punch than the punch itself. Their punches have a similar feel. To be fair I regularly sparred with the old versions of both but old George was tons better than old Tua: George had better ring generalship, a powerful jab and set you up with combinations or for a big knockout shot. David Tua was predictable and easy to figure out but can knock out anyone. I feel bad for critiquing David because he's such a nice man. A real teddy bear.



I try to check in once a week at least so keep the questions coming.



These are some great questions.: Either Wladimir or Evander Holyfield. Wlad hurt me with every punch and I could never get anything going. He's the only man to knock me out. I'll never forget that left hook. Lennox had a great left hook too but chose to throw it in combinations. Wlad would crack you with it without warning.Evander Holyfield is tough enough to beat anyone. He counters every mistake you make and always hits you off balance or with a string of effective shots at once. He recovers really quickly too. Evander was tough and full of surprises. He's one of the best fighters of all time and I felt that just from sparring with him.: That is hard to say. I will say that Lennox Lewis deserves his praise as one of the greatest of all time. He could crack you with either hand and break your confidence. He had such long reach that we spent entire rounds where I couldn't get near enough to land a finger on him but he was comfortably plugging me with his jab from what felt like across the ring. I could rarely get close enough to land anything on Lennox and when I did he would crack me with that uppercut. He was dangerous to fight and could do it all. Brawl, slug, box, counter, everything. Lennox, Wlad and Holyfield are the best I fought but old George Foreman was a terror, too. So was Bert Cooper when he kept his head on straight.: Muhammad Ali from the things I've heard and seen. Joe Frazier and Joe Louis were terrific fighters as well. I'd have to throw Lennox and Evander into my top ten as well. Wlad is good but I think other heavyweights would toy with him.? I think Evander had Mike Tyson's number. I never sparred with Mike, and I might be a bit biased because he was an asshole to me but Evander knew how to deal with Mike's style. Evander used to regularly spar with men like David Tua and Gary Bell, both men who were clones of Mike Tyson. Evander also conquered Ray Mercer, another Tyson-esque heavyweight. There isn't a style around that Evander Holyfield couldn't adapt to and beat.. Yes, Wlad could crack. Hard. With men like George Foreman and David Tua it was more of theof the punch than the punch itself. Their punches have a similar feel. To be fair I regularly sparred with the old versions of both but old George was tons better than old Tua: George had better ring generalship, a powerful jab and set you up with combinations or for a big knockout shot. David Tua was predictable and easy to figure out but can knock out anyone. I feel bad for critiquing David because he's such a nice man. A real teddy bear.I try to check in once a week at least so keep the questions coming. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator Evolution wrote It's funny. I used to talk to Eddie Futch about this very fantasy fight. Joe Frazier always believed he would knock out Mike Tyson. I've quoted this from another thread. What did Eddie Futch and Joe Frazier say about a fight between Joe and Tyson? I've quoted this from another thread. What did Eddie Futch and Joe Frazier say about a fight between Joe and Tyson? Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Duggerman wrote Evolution wrote It's funny. I used to talk to Eddie Futch about this very fantasy fight. Joe Frazier always believed he would knock out Mike Tyson. I've quoted this from another thread. What did Eddie Futch and Joe Frazier say about a fight between Joe and Tyson? I've quoted this from another thread. What did Eddie Futch and Joe Frazier say about a fight between Joe and Tyson? Eddie didn't jump on the Mike Tyson bandwagon. He told me once that Tyson beat scared men like Michael Spinks and Tyrell Biggs and had a hard time with Larry Holmes and Pinklon Thomas when they were past it. Seeing him lose to Buster Douglas and Evander Holyfield made Tyson look like a fraud. He died in 2001 but picked Lennox Lewis to knock out Mike Tyson in 2002.



He picked Joe Frazier to destroy "Iron" Mike Tyson. Joe Frazier was a born warrior who loved combat. Eddie (and many others) felt that Mike was not. Eddie didn't jump on the Mike Tyson bandwagon. He told me once that Tyson beat scared men like Michael Spinks and Tyrell Biggs and had a hard time with Larry Holmes and Pinklon Thomas when they were past it. Seeing him lose to Buster Douglas and Evander Holyfield made Tyson look like a fraud. He died in 2001 but picked Lennox Lewis to knock out Mike Tyson in 2002.He picked Joe Frazier to destroy "Iron" Mike Tyson. Joe Frazier was a born warrior who loved combat. Eddie (and many others) felt that Mike was not. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator You said once that you sparred with Holyfield in the early 90s and in the late 90s after the Tyson rematch. You told me once that he used you to prepare for his title unification bouts with Lennox Lewis. Talk to us about those sparring sessions and your reaction to the controversial "draw" and the exciting rematch. Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others This post was updated on . Duggerman wrote You said once that you sparred with Holyfield in the early 90s and in the late 90s after the Tyson rematch. You told me once that he used you to prepare for his title unification bouts with Lennox Lewis. Talk to us about those sparring sessions and your reaction to the controversial "draw" and the exciting rematch. Yes. I'm 6'4 and a half. Not as tall as Lennox but similar in size and range. Evander used me and a few other tall fighters who could mimic Lennox's style. Evander was very sharp when I worked with him but I had to leave camp early because my daughter was being born. When I was there Evander beat me up like he usually did but I heard from some others that in the months after I left Evander was complaining of cramps and arthritis. He was 36 years old and it seemed that his age was beginning to show. The closer to the fight, the worse it got.



He was unusually arrogant in the weeks before the fight saying he would KO Lennox in the 3rd round. That was out of character for him but he told me later that Lennox made him really mad because he called him a hypocrit for being a christian but having so many children out of wedlock. That is one of Evander's buttons right there.



I watched the fight live at the arena and Evander did not look good. Evander looked stiff and slow in the first two rounds but he plays possom a lot. I figured he gave away the first two rounds to conserve energy and murder Lennox in the third. He failed to do it and Lennox controlled the rest of the fight with ease. He accidentally stunned Evander in the 5th with a punch to the back of the head but didn't finish him fearing Evander was setting him up for a trap as he had with Michael Moorer two years prior. As I watched the fight progress it was clear that Evander was over the hill. He didn't have the speed to get to Lennox and couldn't get around Lennox's long jab and reach.



I was pissed off when the fight was a draw but Evander was promoted by Don King. Go figure. The only person on the air who came out and said the obvious was Roy Jones Jr. This was Don's second time screwing Lennox Lewis because he hired a fake referree to help Oliver McCall steal the title from Lennox in 1994.



I didn't work with Evander for the Lennox rematch but from what others told me, Evander was losing his skills. They planned to drain Lennox's strength by jabbing him in the body. I watched the fight and the strategy worked. Evander couldn't fight with Lennox all three minutes of each round so he had to dive in, attack and then escape. Evander turned it into a WAR! Having shared the ring with both, prime Evander would beat prime Lennox. Watch the rematch and see old Evander take it to prime Lennox. Lennox was huffing and puffing and hated those body attacks. He barely made it out alive! Prime Evander would have been busier and got the knockout.



When I watched it live I had Evander winning but when I finally watched tape of the fight in 2006 I changed my scoring and saw that Lennox won.

Yes. I'm 6'4 and a half. Not as tall as Lennox but similar in size and range. Evander used me and a few other tall fighters who could mimic Lennox's style. Evander was very sharp when I worked with him but I had to leave camp early because my daughter was being born. When I was there Evander beat me up like he usually did but I heard from some others that in the months after I left Evander was complaining of cramps and arthritis. He was 36 years old and it seemed that his age was beginning to show. The closer to the fight, the worse it got.He was unusually arrogant in the weeks before the fight saying he would KO Lennox in the 3rd round. That was out of character for him but he told me later that Lennox made him really mad because he called him a hypocrit for being a christian but having so many children out of wedlock. That is one of Evander's buttons right there.I watched the fight live at the arena and Evander did not look good. Evander looked stiff and slow in the first two rounds but he plays possom a lot. I figured he gave away the first two rounds to conserve energy and murder Lennox in the third. He failed to do it and Lennox controlled the rest of the fight with ease. He accidentally stunned Evander in the 5th with a punch to the back of the head but didn't finish him fearing Evander was setting him up for a trap as he had with Michael Moorer two years prior. As I watched the fight progress it was clear that Evander was over the hill. He didn't have the speed to get to Lennox and couldn't get around Lennox's long jab and reach.I was pissed off when the fight was a draw but Evander was promoted by Don King. Go figure. The only person on the air who came out and said the obvious was Roy Jones Jr. This was Don's second time screwing Lennox Lewis because he hired a fake referree to help Oliver McCall steal the title from Lennox in 1994.I didn't work with Evander for the Lennox rematch but from what others told me, Evander was losing his skills. They planned to drain Lennox's strength by jabbing him in the body. I watched the fight and the strategy worked. Evander couldn't fight with Lennox all three minutes of each round so he had to dive in, attack and then escape. Evander turned it into a WAR! Having shared the ring with both, prime Evander would beat prime Lennox. Watch the rematch and see old Evander take it to prime Lennox. Lennox was huffing and puffing and hated those body attacks. He barely made it out alive! Prime Evander would have been busier and got the knockout.When I watched it live I had Evander winning but when I finally watched tape of the fight in 2006 I changed my scoring and saw that Lennox won. Zorro Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others



Evolution wrote This was Don's second time screwing Lennox Lewis because he hired a fake referree to help Oliver McCall steal the title from Lennox in 1994. Fake referee? Stealing the title? Am I missing something? Lennox got knocked out by Oliver McCall. He beat the count but was on his way to being finished. ^^Thanks for that insight. It's ironic that Lennox purposely avoided signing with Don King his entire career but got screwed by him anyway.Fake referee? Stealing the title? Am I missing something? Lennox got knocked out by Oliver McCall. He beat the count but was on his way to being finished. Shane Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Evolution Evolution wrote Yes. I'm 6'4 and a half. Not as tall as Lennox but similar in size and range. Evander used me and a few other tall fighters who could mimic Lennox's style. Evander was very sharp when I worked with him but I had to leave camp early because my daughter was being born. When I was there Evander beat me up like he usually did but I heard from some others that in the months after I left Evander was complaining of cramps and arthritis. He was 36 years old and it seemed that his age was beginning to show. The closer to the fight, the worse it got.



He was unusually arrogant in the weeks before the fight saying he would KO Lennox in the 3rd round. That was out of character for him but he told me later that Lennox made him really mad because he called him a hypocrit for being a christian but having so many children out of wedlock. That is one of Evander's buttons right there.



I watched the fight on TV and Evander did not look good.Evander looked stiff and slow in the first two rounds but he plays possom a lot. I figured he gave away the first two rounds to conserve energy and murder Lennox in the third. He failed to do it and Lennox controlled the rest of the fight with ease. He accidentally stunned Evander in the 5th with a punch to the back of the head but didn't finish him fearing Evander was setting him up for a trap as he had with Michael Moorer two years prior. As I watched the fight progress it was clear that Evander was over the hill. He didn't have the speed to get to Lennox and couldn't get around Lennox's long jab and reach.



I was pissed off when the fight was a draw but Evander was promoted by Don King. Go figure. The only person on the air who came out and said the obvious was Roy Jones Jr. This was Don's second time screwing Lennox Lewis because he hired a fake referree to help Oliver McCall steal the title from Lennox in 1994.



I didn't work with Evander for the Lennox rematch but from what others told me, Evander was losing his skills. They planned to drain Lennox's strength by jabbing him in the body. I watched the fight and the strategy worked. Evander couldn't fight with Lennox all three minutes of each round so he had to dive in, attack and then escape. Evander turned it into a WAR! Having shared the ring with both, prime Evander would beat prime Lennox. Watch the rematch and see old Evander take it to prime Lennox. Lennox was huffing and puffing and hated those body attacks. He barely made it out alive! Prime Evander would have been busier and got the knockout.



The rematch was close but I think Lennox still won it because he landed more punches. Terrific post. This cheers me up a bit after hearing about the loss of Angelo Dundee. Did you ever get to meet him?



I agree with you that a young Evander Holyfield would take Lennox Lewis with little problems. I actually scored the fight in favor of Evander because he pushed the bigger stronger Lennox around the ring all night and landed more meaningful punches. Terrific post. This cheers me up a bit after hearing about the loss of Angelo Dundee. Did you ever get to meet him?I agree with you that a young Evander Holyfield would take Lennox Lewis with little problems. I actually scored the fight in favor of Evander because he pushed the bigger stronger Lennox around the ring all night and landed more meaningful punches. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator In reply to this post by Zorro Zorro wrote



Evolution wrote This was Don's second time screwing Lennox Lewis because he hired a fake referree to help Oliver McCall steal the title from Lennox in 1994. Fake referee? Stealing the title? Am I missing something? Lennox got knocked out by Oliver McCall. He beat the count but was on his way to being finished. ^^Thanks for that insight. It's ironic that Lennox purposely avoided signing with Don King his entire career but got screwed by him anyway.Fake referee? Stealing the title? Am I missing something? Lennox got knocked out by Oliver McCall. He beat the count but was on his way to being finished. There have been stories about this for years. The referee was a foreign unknown and was quick to count Lewis out and stop the fight. Don King was desperate to have control over the heavyweight division again and now one of his fighters (Oliver McCall) had one of the heavyweight titles. Later on Michael Moorer (another King fighter) won the WBA championship from Evander Holyfield. There have been stories about this for years. The referee was a foreign unknown and was quick to count Lewis out and stop the fight. Don King was desperate to have control over the heavyweight division again and now one of his fighters (Oliver McCall) had one of the heavyweight titles. Later on Michael Moorer (another King fighter) won the WBA championship from Evander Holyfield. 49-0 Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by Evolution Evolution wrote He was unusually arrogant in the weeks before the fight saying he would KO Lennox in the 3rd round. That was out of character for him but he told me later that Lennox made him really mad because he called him a hypocrit for being a christian but having so many children out of wedlock. That is one of Evander's buttons right there. All Lennox did was tell the truth. If Evander is so "christianlike" then why doesn't he practice what he preaches? God said to be fruitful and multiply, but with one partner. That's something that always bothered me about "The Real Deal." Lennox is right.

GIFSoup All Lennox did was tell the truth. If Evander is so "christianlike" then why doesn't he practice what he preaches? God said to be fruitful and multiply, but with one partner. That's something that always bothered me about "The Real Deal." Lennox is right. GatorPurify Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others 49-0 wrote Evolution wrote He was unusually arrogant in the weeks before the fight saying he would KO Lennox in the 3rd round. That was out of character for him but he told me later that Lennox made him really mad because he called him a hypocrit for being a christian but having so many children out of wedlock. That is one of Evander's buttons right there. All Lennox did was tell the truth. If Evander is so "christianlike" then why doesn't he practice what he preaches? God said to be fruitful and multiply, but with one partner. That's something that always bothered me about "The Real Deal." Lennox is right. All Lennox did was tell the truth. If Evander is so "christianlike" then why doesn't he practice what he preaches? God said to be fruitful and multiply, but with one partner. That's something that always bothered me about "The Real Deal." Lennox is right. That's real talk. Holyfield really fattened himself up for kill by wearing his religion on his sleeve. I'm not judging him by no means but 9 illegitimate kids? You have nothing to say to anyone about being a Christian. And now sadly it's backfired. People really believed he was true about his faith. But now that it's come to fruition that he had all these kids by various women , the industry has turned their back on him.



It's just don't wear it on your sleeve if you struggle with something. That's real talk. Holyfield really fattened himself up for kill by wearing his religion on his sleeve. I'm not judging him by no means but 9 illegitimate kids? You have nothing to say to anyone about being a Christian. And now sadly it's backfired. People really believed he was true about his faith. But now that it's come to fruition that he had all these kids by various women , the industry has turned their back on him.It's just don't wear it on your sleeve if you struggle with something. Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others GatorPurify wrote That's real talk. Holyfield really fattened himself up for kill by wearing his religion on his sleeve. I'm not judging him by no means but 9 illegitimate kids? You have nothing to say to anyone about being a Christian. And now sadly it's backfired. People really believed he was true about his faith. But now that it's come to fruition that he had all these kids by various women , the industry has turned their back on him.

It's just don't wear it on your sleeve if you struggle with something. That's a good point but Evander is a good man. You have to get to know the guy. Everyone has an addiction and women happen to be his. The industry did not turn their back on Evander because of his "religious hypocrisy" but rather because they were using him to get back at Mike Tyson. Evander was the wholesome clean christian guy full of Bible scriptures while Mike Tyson was a thug accused of rape. Good versus evil. People wanted to see Evander punish Mike Tyson. After the Tyson fights were over, Evander's popularity began to wane. The media sensationalized his victories over Mike Tyson. After that was over, he had nothing left to offer. That's a good point but Evander is a good man. You have to get to know the guy. Everyone has an addiction and women happen to be his. The industry did not turn their back on Evander because of his "religious hypocrisy" but rather because they were using him to get back at Mike Tyson. Evander was the wholesome clean christian guy full of Bible scriptures while Mike Tyson was a thug accused of rape. Good versus evil. People wanted to see Evander punish Mike Tyson. After the Tyson fights were over, Evander's popularity began to wane. The media sensationalized his victories over Mike Tyson. After that was over, he had nothing left to offer. 49-0 Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others

GIFSoup I'm with Gator Purify on this. All of Evander's "Jesus" talk is forgotten the minute a woman who isn't his wife drops her panties. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator In reply to this post by Evolution Evolution wrote Evander was the wholesome clean christian guy full of Bible scriptures while Mike Tyson was a thug accused of rape. Good versus evil. People wanted to see Evander punish Mike Tyson. After the Tyson fights were over, Evander's popularity began to wane. The media sensationalized his victories over Mike Tyson. After that was over, he had nothing left to offer. I've seen that happen before. The media put Joe Frazier on a pedestal before his first fight with Muhammad Ali. Ali was depicted as a rebellious loudmouth draft dodger while Frazier was a hardworking family man. Corporate America rooted for Frazier bigtime. After Frazier beat Ali, there was nothing to say. People still liked Frazier but they didn't love him the way they did when they did when he was defending against Ali that year.



Same thing with Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson. Patterson was the clean cut nice guy and Liston was the thug with Mafia connections. They loved Floyd Patterson before the fights with Liston. After Patterson lost twice to Liston, he was not beloved as much. He was still liked and respected, but not loved.



Granted, I think Holyfield would have maintained his superstar celebrity status if he had defeated Lewis and retired. First four time heavyweight champ? Two-time conqueror of Mike Tyson? Those are good notes to retire on. People were wary of Lewis because he was a foreigner. Holyfield failed to beat Lewis in two championship fights and his ring skills only got worse. I do agree that the christian thing rubbed people the wrong way when they saw how many kids he had out of wedlock. All of these things worked against Holyfield in the end. I've seen that happen before. The media put Joe Frazier on a pedestal before his first fight with Muhammad Ali. Ali was depicted as a rebellious loudmouth draft dodger while Frazier was a hardworking family man. Corporate America rooted for Frazier bigtime. After Frazier beat Ali, there was nothing to say. People still liked Frazier but they didn'thim the way they did when they did when he was defending against Ali that year.Same thing with Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson. Patterson was the clean cut nice guy and Liston was the thug with Mafia connections. They loved Floyd Patterson before the fights with Liston. After Patterson lost twice to Liston, he was not beloved as much. He was still liked and respected, but notGranted, I think Holyfield would have maintained his superstar celebrity status if he had defeated Lewis and retired. First four time heavyweight champ? Two-time conqueror of Mike Tyson? Those are good notes to retire on. People were wary of Lewis because he was a foreigner. Holyfield failed to beat Lewis in two championship fights and his ring skills only got worse. I do agree that the christian thing rubbed people the wrong way when they saw how many kids he had out of wedlock. All of these things worked against Holyfield in the end. Evolution Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others In reply to this post by 49-0 49-0 wrote I'm with Gator Purify on this. All of Evander's "Jesus" talk is forgotten the minute a woman who isn't his wife drops her panties. Evander is a good man. I doubt any of you know him personally like I do. You go by what you see on TV and on the internet.



I lost a close relative of mine a while back and it was Evander that helped me through it. His brother had died around the same time and Evander showed me some scriptures that helped me feel better. He gave me a whole new way of looking at things.



Evander was screwed out of winning the gold medal at the Olympics in 1984 against Kevin Barry. Did he whine? No. He prayed about it and moved on. When Mike Tyson bit Evander's ear, Evander remained calm and prayed about the situation.



Don't talk about Evander that way. He's a class act. Evander is a good man. I doubt any of you know him personally like I do. You go by what you see on TV and on the internet.I lost a close relative of mine a while back and it was Evander that helped me through it. His brother had died around the same time and Evander showed me some scriptures that helped me feel better. He gave me a whole new way of looking at things.Evander was screwed out of winning the gold medal at the Olympics in 1984 against Kevin Barry. Did he whine? No. He prayed about it and moved on. When Mike Tyson bit Evander's ear, Evander remained calm and prayed about the situation.Don't talk about Evander that way. He's a class act. 49-0 Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Evolution wrote Don't talk about Evander that way. He's a class act. I know I don't know Evander personally like you but we have to call it like it is. Would you go to the church of a preacher who has nine children out of wedlock? All the while this preacher is talking all this stuff about the Lord Jesus and all that? That's what Evander is doing. He might be a good guy and maybe women is his "addiction" but it's a big public flaw of his. His ex wife Candi says that he beat her. Come on now.

GIFSoup I know I don't know Evander personally like you but we have to call it like it is. Would you go to the church of a preacher who has nine children out of wedlock? All the while this preacher is talking all this stuff about the Lord Jesus and all that? That's what Evander is doing. He might be a good guy and maybe women is his "addiction" but it's a big public flaw of his. His ex wife Candi says that he beat her. Come on now. Duggerman Reply | Threaded ♦ ♦ Open this post in threaded view Re: I sparred with Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, David Tua and others Administrator



In this case, let's move on because Evolution is a friend of a many of the fighters we talk about, including Holyfield. We all have our opinions, but let's keep this thread focused on questions for Evolution about sparring with some of the greats. He has plenty of insider knowledge and I appreciate him taking the time to check in and post with us. I don't want this place to become a "bash Evander" forum. The cool thing about the ranch is that we discuss the styles and careers of these boxers, not their personal lives. It's what they did in the ring that made them famous.In this case, let's move on because Evolution is a friend of a many of the fighters we talk about, including Holyfield. We all have our opinions, but let's keep this thread focused on questions for Evolution about sparring with some of the greats. He has plenty of insider knowledge and I appreciate him taking the time to check in and post with us. 1 2 3 4 5