Holyfield follows Ali model of giving back to kids

Five-time world boxing champion Evander Holyfield reflected on his own childhood when he visited the IP Center at North Bay of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast on Tuesday afternoon.

Holyfield won world titles in the cruiserweight and heavyweight classes, the last coming in 2010 when he beat Francois Botha for the WBF heavyweight title. He retired in 2014.

“When I was at the Boys Club, we always had professional athletes who told their story of how hard they had to work, the disappointment they had, what they had to overcome,’’ Holyfield said. “The world gets better when you come back and give back what you have taken from it. I wouldn’t be who I am if it was not for that Boys Club. It is easy to give back.

“I think I am a throwback to the way things are. Nobody chooses their parents, nobody chooses their neighborhood, nobody chooses their skin color. You have to make your best. I didn’t even like my name as a kid. They couldn’t pronounce it. People called me ‘Evader’ or ‘Ebunder.’ They messed up my name. But I kept doing what my mother told me to do.’’

Holyfield met with more than 200 children at the center at lunchtime. He fielded questions from some of the older children, noting how his mother would not let him quit from boxing when he considered it. And he told them how he had to lift 400 pounds in powerlifting during his boxing days to stay in shape.

Holyfield was set to speak Tuesday night during the Boys and Girls Club fundraiser Steak and Shake at the IP Casino in Biloxi.

Holyfield started his professional career in the cruiserweight class, and dominated that weight class which was originally set at 190 pounds. He beat Muhammad Qawi for the WBA title and successfully defended it against Henry Tillman. Holyfield unified the WBA, WBC and IBF titles to become undisputed champion before moving to the heavyweight division in 1988.

He beat Buster Douglas for the heavyweight title in 1990 and later beat George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson. Tyson infamously bit off part of Holyfield’s ear in the 1997 rematch with Tyson.

Holyfield fought in the 1984 Olympics in the light heavyweight division, and carried the torch in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics.

He said he is going to Rio in August for the Olympics.

“When I was 8 years old, people told me I could be like Muhammad Ali,’’ Holyfield said. “I thought they were talking about boxing. His humanitarian work was outstanding. That gave me something to strive for when boxing was over. I want to inspire people who want to be better.’’

Holyfield continues to stress the influence his mother had to his life.

“She would tell me that whatever you do is following you,’’ he said. “If you do something good, it is following you. If you do something bad, it is following you. If you are doing something bad, stop it.

“And I was not going to let (someone) outwork me. Mama said ‘We can’t have lazy people in the family.’ You couldn’t be lazy and be in our family.’’

IP Center director John Pugh, who directed Biloxi High School to two boys state championships in basketball, was honored by Holyfield’s visit to the Boys and Girls Club.

“I am appreciative he’s here to model to our children what you can do,’’ Pugh said. “And especially him getting his start in the Boys and Girls Club. My hat’s off to him to take the time to give a motivational speech to our children.’’

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Holyfield follows Ali model of giving back to kids."