Former world heavyweight champion Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield has announced his return to competition, just days after ex-foe Mike Tyson teased a comeback of his own.
Holyfield, a four-time heavyweight champion, revealed his intention to return to the ring through a post on Instagram, explaining that the purpose behind doing so is to raise funds for a charitable organization.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_3EOdbF0bo/
The post read as follows:
“Are you ready? The moment you’ve all been waiting for… The Champ is back! I’d like to announce that I will be making a comeback to the thing. I’m training to promote a charity that’s very close to me. Our #Unite4OurFight campaign aims to fill the void the pandemic has created on access to resources our youth needs for emotional development and education.”
The news comes just days after Mike Tyson declared his comeback, and the talks of a trilogy between the two have already begun to encapsulate the minds of fans.
Tyson and Holyfield squared off against one another twice in the 1990s, with the latter walking away victorious in each encounter. In the third round of their 1997 rematch, the younger Tyson notably bit the ear of his opponent twice, causing long-lasting, permanent damage. This never deterred the former champion from competing, however, as he went on to have 20 more professional bouts.
Holyfield hasn’t competed professionally since 2011, where he knocked out Brian Nielsen at 48 years of age. This rounded off an excellent career, leaving his record at an impressive 44-10-2 (29 KOs).