Evander Holyfield Squares Off with Francois Botha Saturday Night
10/04/2010 12:47
American heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield squares off with Francois Botha of South Africa Saturday night at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for the WBF heavyweight championship belt.
At 46, former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield climbs up the ring Saturday night to face Francois Botha of South Africa, the current WBF champion.
Holyfield who wants to prove he can still be a world champion at 46 said
You're gonna see a better Holyfield than ever, In more recent fights, people didn't see enough combos, you're going to see me bend my legs more, more aggressiveness." "Botha's arms are the same length as mine, I don't have to reach too far to get close, I don't have to take too big of a step to him. In this fight, I can dictate the pace."
Asked about the possibility of another round with Mike Tyson, Holyfield said: "It's possible," he says.
"If Tyson gets in shape, or even if he doesn't, because I can't be concerned with what everybody else does...I'm in ready mode. I'm a performer. I like performing. But I wouldn't bet my life on a third fight with Tyson happening. But if it could be made, if they want to pay..."
Hollyfield's opponent Francois Botha is a 41 years old professional boxer from South Africa. He has a professional boxing record of 47 wins with four losses and two draws. Francois Botha has had a relatively distinguished career as a heavyweight boxer, having fought several world heavyweight champions including Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko.
Botha suffered a fifth round knock out to Mike Tyson, in a relatively close fight up to that point. He is current World Boxing Foundation World Heavyweight Champion. Although he won the International Boxing Federation World Heavyweight title in the ring the fight was declared a no contest and he was never officially recognised as champion.
The Holyfield-Botha fight will be held at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. At stake is the WBF heavyweight belt
(original article appeared @ Digital Journal )