Evander Holyfield returning to fighting at 58 has opened up a debate on whether boxing should have an age limit due to the current Pay Per View fad.
“The Real Deal” has signed on to fight former Mike Tyson conqueror Kevin McBride on June 5th on a “Triller Fight Club” PPV event.
Holyfield’s match-up comes as Tyson himself walked away from Triller to concentrate on his own Legends Only League.
A former two-weight undisputed champion and four-time heavyweight king, Holyfield is looking forward to the opportunity.
Sharing the stage with pound-for-pound superstar Teofimo Lopez, an undisputed champion in his own right, excites Holyfield immensely.
“I am proud to be able to join Triller Fight Club as they are exactly what our industry needed,” said Holyfield as the chance opened up for him to return to action for the first time in a decade.
“They have reimagined the sport of boxing in a very exciting new way. Their combination of young talent, music, entertainment, and special match-ups sets a new standard for our sport.
“My return to the ring for this fight is one that everyone, myself included, will enjoy. I am proud to help take this to the next level.”
Many would argue that Holyfield doesn’t need to be anywhere near a boxing ring for several reasons documented below.
1 – HIS AGE
Holyfield is 58 and pushing 60. His skin looks a little supple, and he obviously can’t get back to where he once was, even if his body looks okay. His reflexes won’t be there.
2 – WARS
Enduring many battles during his career, Holyfield has apparent signs of the extended wear and tear boxers have to suffer mentally and physically from a brutal stay in the heavyweight division.
3 – A DECADE
Ten years have passed since his last competitive fight. Also, opponent Kevin McBride won’t be taking it easy on him by any stretch.
You can add that McBride is eleven years younger into the mix.
4 – THE EVANDER HOLYFIELD NAME IS NOT ENOUGH
Just having a name, as Mike Tyson does, is not enough to justify getting back in the ring. There are also questions about Tyson continuing to compete in his 50’s.
These kinds of events are all fine in a one-off capacity and under supervised conditions. But putting old boxers in the ring at regular intervals can only be bad for their health.
5 – NO GOOD
No good can come of it. If Evander Holyfield gets badly injured – or even one older boxer does – none of this would be worth that.
6 – QUALITY
The quality of these fights, even if Tyson or Holyfield, is inadequate. It’s nowhere near what it was and can never be as exciting.
Watching an older man get badly knocked out would be an awful spectacle to watch if that indeed is where the organizers want these bouts to go.
The views expressed in this article are that of the Editor, Phil Jay. WBN celebrated its 10th Anniversary on August 1st, 2020, and is the top-visited independent boxing news website in the world.
Phil Jay is the Editor of WBN. An Auxiliary member of the Boxing Writers Association of America since 2018. And a member of the Sports Journalists’ Association. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
