By James Slater: This Saturday night in Denmark, heavyweight legend and four-time king Evander Holyfield faces Danish hero Brian Nielsen. “The Real Deal,” now 48-years-old, has arrived in Denmark and he says he is looking forward to a win. Nielsen, almost as old as Holyfield at age 46, has not fought since 2002 yet he says he and his fellow veteran can still provide good action fights; sometimes better fights than those the younger guys can deliver.
Holyfield, despite looking shot to pieces last time out against Sherman “The Tank” Williams (a 3rd-round No-Contest which came about due to the accidental cut Holyfield received) is still of the belief that he can become a major belt-holder again. Talking to Sky Sports News, the living legend said he hopes to get himself a big title shot after he beats Nielsen.
“If I win, I am moving on to the next level,” Holyfield said. “I am hoping to get a championship bout with guys with other belts. Back when I was young, I made a lot of mistakes but I had the stamina and all that to overcome. Today, you have less stamina but more focus. Either way you go, if you play with what you have, you win.”
Holyfield, 43-10-2(28) sure didn’t look like he had much left to offer in the Williams fight back in January. Out-worked, even wobbled by the durable journeyman, Holyfield was behind on points at the time of the enforced ending. As bad as he’d looked in the three-rounds that were scored by the judges, it was perhaps fortunate the head clash happened in the 2nd. To many, Evander was on his way to a points loss. Now, against the inactive Nielsen, Holyfield takes yet another run at earning a title shot. Would even a 1st-round destruction of Nielsen earn Holyfield a chance against a Klitschko or a Haye, though? Would such a fight even be sanctioned?
Saturday’s “curiosity” match-up (and truth be told, this is the best billing the fight can possibly be given, even if it is a big deal for Denmark) is being offered as a Pay-per-View attraction, but it remains to be seen how many buyers tune in. Of course, this Saturday the entire boxing world will be watching the best fighter on the planet take on yet another veteran in “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Will fans bother to tune in to watch two ageing heavies with a combined age of 94 creaking their way through a potentially embarrassing affair when they could be saving their dollars for the Pacquiao fight?
Holyfield, seemingly in as much a need for cash as he is for another title shot, will be hoping his latest fight proves a financial hit. Maybe it will. Nielsen, 64-2(43) has reportedly trained hard for the fight and Holyfield, if he has retained nothing else, has at least retained his immaculate physique.
A tough fight to predict, considering how poor Holyfield looked last time out and due to the inactivity of Nielsen, my pick says “The Real Deal” via decision. It doesn’t need to be said how a loss would surely end Holyfield’s career – or what’s left of it. Best wishes to both guys: let’s hope neither gets hurt!