Unfamiliar Territory for Holyfield and Lewis
Dateline: 03/12/99Both Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis are in unfamiliar territory as Saturday night's heavyweight unification bout nears. Holyfield, typically quiet and respectful towards his opponents, has not only predicted that he will win by knockout, but has gone so far as to call the round -- the third. What's new for Lewis is that, at 33, he finally has the meaningful, career-defining bout he has long claimed to covet (despite taking step-aside money several years ago NOT to fight Tyson -- so much for that claim).
Most so-called 'experts' dismissed Holyfield's quiet confidence in the days leading up to his first fight with Mike Tyson as the false bravado of a washed-up fighter about to receive the beating of his life. Holyfield certainly proved the experts wrong on that night by removing, once and for all, Tyson's air on invincibility. While Holyfield (36-3, 25 KO) is a slight favorite against Lewis, no one really expects him to win by early knockout. But after all Evander has accomplished in his great career, who's to say he won't prove everyone wrong again. Once considered a blown-up cruiserweight, Holyfield now needs only a win over Lewis to have fought and beaten (at least once) every significant heavyweight of his generation: Tyson, Bowe, Foreman, Holmes, Douglas, Moorer, Mercer and Lewis; an amazing accomplishment which has earned him a rightful spot among the all-time greats.
Age and size are the only two clear advantages that Lewis (34-1, 27 KO) possesses in this bout. He's three years younger, three inches taller and 31 pounds heavier than the Real Deal. Lewis is basically the same size as Riddick Bowe - the fighter who gave Holyfield more trouble than any other - but Bowe had a much better jab, fought more effectively on the inside and, overall, was a far superior ring technician than Lewis.
If both fighters are at their best, this should prove to be a memorable bout. If either fighter has an off night - and both have had their share - then the fight could easily fail to live up to the expectations that have grown while fans have waited years for these two to finally get it on.
Prediction: There's too much at stake for Holyfield and Lewis not to be at their best, so expect this to be a competitive bout with both fighters having their moments. In the end though, Holyfield's best will prove to be better than Lewis' best -- Evander by ninth round technical knockout.
Undercard: 'Ferocious' Fernando Vargas (15-0, 15 KO) defends his IBF junior middleweight title against Howard Clarke (26-10-2, 8 KO) of England.
James Page (23-3, 18 KO) defends his WBA welterweight title against Sam Garr (25-2, 3 KO).
