BoxRec

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport
Veteran Evander Holyfield wants a shot at Russia's new giant WBA heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev.
The 43-year-old American, a former undisputed world heavyweight champion, said he was undaunted by Valuev's hulking 7ft, 24st frame.

"I'm hoping that I get the opportunity to fight him," Holyfield told BBC Radio Five Live. "It would be a good show.
"The art of the game of boxing is not so much the size but what you can do with what God's given you."

Valuev became the tallest and heaviest champion in boxing history with a controversial points win over WBA heavyweight holder John Ruiz on Sunday. But the 6ft 2in Holyfield, who beat Mike Tyson twice in 1996 and 1997, believes he can overcome the significant height advantage.

"You can be big but if you can't fight, you don't have the punch or don't have the skills that are necessary then you're just another fighter," he said. It's obvious that he'll get tired if you move a lot. I should have faster hands so I should be able to dot in and dot out and hit him with a lot of punches. He could throw one hard shot and that could be it - but you've got to not let him hit you and you've got to hit him."
"The most important thing is finishing properly," he said.

Sadly, this version of Holyfield can't even beat Valuev, he would have eaten him for breakfast a few years ago

Man I hope this fight is made soon.

God help boxing if Holyfield gets a crack at Valuev & the WBA belt

Unless Holy was tranformed into a cyborg he'll get beat.

This could be a tragic fight if it's made, Holifield is totally shot and shouldn't be allowed in the ring against anyone...

After 2 good rounds, Holifield will be gassed and then Valuev will take over, pepper him with jabs and stop him in the mid-rounds. Total mismatch.
Holifield would get slaughtered.

If the fights goes through, Holifield might end up a vegetable.

Holyfield will get slaughtered :(

I can see this happening probably in germany and Im sure it will be depressing as hell. Just don't know why Hollyfild is still boxing he don't need the money. Fans need to stop watching his fights so he isn't profitable for promoters and he doesn't continue to suffer.

I can see this happening, he's the biggest name for Valuev that he can beat fairly comfortably. To be honest he's not going to be champ for long now is he.

But what if Holyfield pulled it off? Valuev is a very different fighter to Donald, Toney and Byrd who all being fairly slick were always going to be trouble for this Holyfield. Valuev doesn't hit that hard, has poor stamina and is very easy to hit.

Of course Valuev would be a huge favorite and Holyfield really shouldn't be fighting anymore but if the real deal won you'd have an American world champ who is unable to fight in America

It could happen, although I do doubt the WBA will sanction it.

I think it will be Ruiz next for Valuev.... But I really hope that Valuev retires as champion and embarks on a Hollywood career.

There is no way on earth this version of Holyfield will even win a round let alone the fight. He cant even get his punches off these days he will get outworked easily. One the plus side Valuev cant punch his way out of a wet paper bag (for his size) so he wont get hurt too badly.

:( :( :( :( :( :(

Nuff said.

nickd wrote:There is no way on earth this version of Holyfield will even win a round let alone the fight. He cant even get his punches off these days he will get outworked easily. One the plus side Valuev cant punch his way out of a wet paper bag (for his size) so he wont get hurt too badly.

Perhaps Valuev doesnt punch hard,

for his size

but he punches hard enough and often enough. Have you seen the way Ruiz`s face looked after the match? It looked pretty bruised, cut and swollen. And for all Ruiz`s faults, he does move faster than Holifield does today. And Ruiz held a lot, preventing Valuev from putting even more hurt on him.

So, Holifield, which is slower (this current version) and has lower punch output and doesnt grab and grapple the way Ruiz does, will be targeted more by Valuev`s jab. And since he tends to bull his way inside and trade, he will get in the pathway of some mean straight rights too.
Holifield would be totally demolished and hurt badly.
While he has the heart and the willingness to fight Valuev, at 43 and having lost his last 3 fights back to back, one by TKO to a light puncher (by heavyweight standards), the promoters should spare Holifield and not allow him to fight this guy.

PS: I think Tua v Valuev might be an interesting fight. At least Tuaman can punch. If he can get past that long, jarring jab first. :(

Say what you want about Tua but I would bet anyone he beats Valuev. As slow as he started against Salif he punched with more variation then ever before especially with body shots. The one thing Valuev has never fought against is a hard puncher go through every name in his record that is because they wanted to add to his novelty by keeping him undefeated and not tarnishing his record although he has stepped up his opponent quality somewhat each of those guys were not hard punchers Vidoz, Donald etc. and that is the way it will stay for his next few fights
I would fancy Tua, Brewster,Wlad against him as he is slow and doesnt have the know-how or punch power to keep guys off him

Okay David Tua is 5 9" Valuv 7ft he will need a step ladder cant see him pulling it off

i think it would be an interesting fight with these two.a good laugh at the least with holyfields workrate and the beasts clumsiness(spelling).

dve3333 wrote:Say what you want about Tua but I would bet anyone he beats Valuev. As slow as he started against Salif he punched with more variation then ever before especially with body shots.

I would fancy Tua, against him as he is slow and doesnt have the know-how or punch power to keep guys off him

Tuaman definitely has a chance, given his powerful left hook, perhaps the hardest punch in the division at this time.
But he has to get past that long jab first. Tuaman is 14 inch shorter and has an 19 inch reach disadvantage. Also at his current 250lb fightweight, he wont have the speed to close the gap before absorbing too much punishment.

While I believe that his power will keep him in the game until the end, I see this fight going the way Lewis v Tua did. A boring jabfest in which a lazy Tuaman is content to eat jabs and occasional right crosses, for a shut out points win by Valuev. (true, Valuev is not as good as Lewis was back then, but neither is this version of Tua as good as he was back then, so the comparision still stands.)

I called it first! I hope Evander gets it, and wins!!

HeavyHitters wrote:I called it first! I hope Evander gets it, and wins!!

Holifield was one of my top favorite boxers. But at 43 and moving like in knee deep water, Valuev is the worst match up for the old warrior.
Did you see how Ruizs face looked after his match with the giant?

Now imagine the slower and shorter reach Holifield will look like. At this stage Holifield will not be able to get past the 10 inch reach advantage and will be skewered at the end of the jab until a booming right hand will scramble his brains. Holifield is shot to pieces and any federation that would sanction such a mismatch should be held liable if Holifield gets killed in the ring.

Believe it or not, Valuev actually punches very hard if the foe is slow moving. Even his jabs send shocks through his opponents body.

I would like to believe that Holifield can turn the clock back and retire champion (undisputed) as is his dream. But Valuev is the wrong opponents for him. At 43 he should realise he is spent and retire gracefully without ending up a vegetable. All the people around him tell him that but he just wont acknowledge the obvious. He is an accident waiting to happen.

Holyfield is too far gone to beat Valuev now.

He needs to have his worldwide boxing licence revoked.