Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
Evander Holyfield vowed he’ll continue to fight until he regains the world heavyweight title.
The 48-year-old former four-time heavyweight champion will face Denmark’s 45-year-old Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen on March 5 in a non-title bout.
“My goal is to be the undisputed world champion one more time before I let it go. Once I do that, I sit down,†he said Thursday. “And until I do that, I continue to fight.â€
David Haye and Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko hold the current world heavyweight titles.
Holyfield knocked out Francois Botha last April after losses to Nikolay Valuev and Sultan Ibragimov. He has a career record of 43-10-2, with 28 knockouts.
“The most important thing to me is to fight. I take the fights that are available,†he said.
Nielsen, who lost to Tyson in 2001, retired in 2003 after an 11-year pro career because of a knee injury that has required several operations.
Nielsen claims to have lost 33 pounds in the past few months but says he needs to drop more weight.
“I know that I have always been fat, but for my own sake I need to look like a boxer for once … which I have never done before,†he said, smiling. “I will be in good shape.â€
Nielsen’s record of 64-2 with 43 KOs is impressive and was noted by Holyfield.
“You don’t have a record like that without being good,†Holyfield said. “I don’t worry about the opponent. I am concerned more about me. I am in the best shape.â€
Nielsen won the lightly regarded IBO title in 1996 when he stopped Tony La Rosa in the second round in Copenhagen. He also ended 47-year-old former champ Larry Holmes’ hopes of a winning another title in a successful defense a year later.
By JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press