Holyfield: I'm the guy to beat
Heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield has challenged WBA champion David Haye to give him a title shot and finally earn himself a big pay-day.
Despite turning 48 next month, American Holyfield remains on the fringes of the heavyweight title picture as he stubbornly fights on. In 2008, he was unfortunate to lose a decision to then-WBA champion Nikolai Valuev, whom Haye subsequently beat last year.
Holyfield told Press Association Sport: "I'm looking at both the Klitschko brothers and David Haye. I want to fight the people with the titles."
Holyfield defeated fellow veteran Frans Botha in April to pick up the meaningless WBF belt and is next out against Sherman Williams in November.
The two-weight world champion believes he can win a portion of the world heavyweight title for the fifth time and has targeted either Londoner Haye or one of the Klitschko brothers, with Vitali the WBC champion and Wladimir the IBF/WBO holder.
He added: "I'm fighting this Williams guy because I need to stay active. I'm still the most popular heavyweight that is fighting. If they want to make money, I'm the guy they need to fight.
"My people have talked with the older Klitschko brother (Vitali) and his manager but right now everybody's busy with fights."
As for his motivation, Holyfield - who dreams of breaking George Foreman's record as the oldest world heavyweight champion - insists there remains plenty of incentive.
"With anything in life you lose something but you gain something," he said. "The most important thing is that you gain more than you lose.
"As for hunger, I don't do it for the reason I did it when I was a kid. That goal I've set - I've got to keep pushing for it until I get it and hopefully before I hit 50 I'll do that."
Date published :
01 Sep 2010 - 14:30:42
