Most boxers talk about heart. Evan “Yung Holy” Holyfield had his opened up. Repaired. Put back together. And now—less than a year later—he’s climbing through the ropes again. This Saturday, August 2, at The Fairgrounds Arena in Nashville, Holyfield (12-1, 8 KOs) returns from open-heart surgery to fight Jeremiah Robinson (8-5, 8 KOs). Welcome back.
The fight is part of Christy Martin Promotions’ Mayhem in Music City 2. And if you’re thinking this is some soft comeback—don’t. Robinson doesn’t let anyone off the hook. Holyfield’s stepping into real danger less than a year after surviving the kind of surgery that ends athletic careers outright.
Open-heart surgery isn’t supposed to lead to a fight card
In September 2023, Holyfield was rushed into emergency surgery for a right coronary anomaly—a rare, congenital defect in one of the heart’s main arteries. Doctors cut open his chest, rerouted the blood flow, and told him the priority was survival—not sport.
Holyfield heard them. And decided to fight anyway.
“I always knew I had heart,” he said. “My heart has been in boxing since I was 12 years old, but now I have a perfect heart, and I feel that is going to take me to the top in boxing.”
“People who come see me fight Saturday are going to see me bringing a great deal of mayhem to my opponent.”
That’s not hype. It’s not just brave—it’s nearly unthinkable. But he’s doing it.
Trainer “Sugar” Bert Wells, who’s worked with world-level fighters for decades, puts it bluntly:
“Evan knows how to fight, and a healthy Evan will go all the way if he keeps his focus.”
And manager Mike Joyce, a Chicago fight lawyer and Muhammad Ali’s son-in-law, never looked away—even during the medical chaos:
“Evan has that Holyfield bloodline… athletic, tough, hard-working. His style makes for exciting fights. That’s why Christy Martin put him on the card.”
Should He Even Be Fighting?
Depends who you ask. A heart surgeon? Probably not. A promoter? If he sells tickets, sure. A fighter who had his chest cracked open less than a year ago? Apparently, yes—no hesitation.
This wasn’t a sprain or a bruised rib. They rerouted his blood flow like a city detour, told him survival was the win. But here he is, chasing knockouts again like nothing happened.
Is it smart? Maybe not. But Holyfield’s never been in this game to play it safe. Saturday night will show if it’s a comeback or a bad idea with gloves on.
Promoter Christy Martin: “Evan Holyfield always puts on a great show for the fans and I’m happy to see him back and healthier than ever. He will be facing an opponent who has knocked out every opponent he’s faced, so it will be a dangerous fight for him to be taking so soon into his comeback.”
Main event’s Victor “Jalapeno” Hernandez (14-0, 12 KOs) vs. Jayvon “El Elegido” Garnett (10-2, 5 KOs) for the NABA and Junior NABF Featherweight titles.
Event Info
-
Event: Mayhem in Music City 2
-
Date: Saturday, August 2, 2025
-
Venue: Fairgrounds Arena, 401 Wingrove St, Nashville, TN (Expo 3 entrance from Wedgewood)
-
Doors Open: 6:00 PM CT
-
First Fight: 7:00 PM CT
-
Tickets: Start at $60.70 via Eventbrite
-
Streaming: LIVE on Millions.co (PPV)
- Photo courtesy: Evan Holyfield Instagram @evanholyfield_
Fight Card
-
Victor Hernandez vs. Jayvon Garnett – 10 Rounds, Featherweight, NABA & Junior NABF Titles
-
Evan Holyfield vs. Jeremiah Robinson – 8 Rounds, Super Welterweight
-
Djibril Diakite vs. Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis – 8 Rounds, Super Middleweight
-
Julio Rosa vs. TBA – 6 Rounds, Lightweight