Evander Holyfield has come clean about his victories over Mike Tyson. The heavyweight legend admits he got lucky by facing 'Iron Mike' when he wasn't at his best.
Holyfield's career stands out in boxing history. He's the only fighter to win the world heavyweight championship four times. He also became the first to capture undisputed championships at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, a feat only matched by Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.
In a recently resurfaced clip, Holyfield shares his thoughts on Tyson:
"Unpredictable. When you didn't know what Tyson was gonna do, everybody was in trouble. He changed up and got into a rhythm that everybody knew and became beatable. I was fortunate enough to fight him when he was beatable."
Tyson burst onto the pro scene in 1985 at just 18 years old. He won his first 19 fights by knockout, with 12 of those coming in the first round. By November 1986, at 20 years old, he became the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he knocked out Trevor Berbick for the WBC title.
Tyson's reign at the top was short-lived. He suffered his first loss to Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990, in what many call the biggest upset in boxing history. Douglas, a 42-1 underdog, knocked out Tyson in the tenth round.
Holyfield and Tyson met for the first time in November 1996. 'The Real Deal' shocked the world by stopping Tyson in the penultimate round at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, taking the WBA heavyweight title.
Their rematch in June 1997 ended in controversy. Tyson got disqualified in the third round for biting Holyfield's ears, cementing one of boxing's most infamous moments.
Holyfield's career saw him beat other legends like James 'Buster' Douglas, Michael Moorer, and Larry Holmes. But even with all his success, including just 10 losses in his professional record, Holyfield acknowledges the timing of his fights with Tyson played a big part in his victories.
