Other Sport
Evander still chases a title
2009-05-20 08:14
Evander Holyfield (Gallo)
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Addis Ababa - Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield will take another crack at a world title in September, his manager said on Tuesday.
"The September bout could be against Nikolai Valuev or some other fighter, but it definitely will be against a world champion," Ken Sanders said.
Holyfield is in Addis Ababa to prepare for a July 26 exhibition fight against Ethiopian-born American Sammy Retta to help raise funds for Aids in what will be the Horn of Africa nation's first showpiece boxing bout.
Holyfield, 46, said he ws not contemplating retirement despite concerns over his health from some spectators.
"It (retirement) never even crossed my mind. In fact, it reminded me of 1992 when I lost a title and came back to reclaim it," Holyfield said.
"I'll show the world how to be champion at this age."
The four-time world champion failed to clinch a fifth title late last year when he lost to Russian Valuev.
Valuev, the tallest and heaviest champion in history, holds the World Boxing Association title.
Retta is 35 years old and has a record of 18 wins and three losses in super-middleweight bouts. At 105 kg, he now outweighs his more illustrious rival.
Holyfield is best remembered for having part of his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson in 1997 in a bout which was later called the "The Bite Fight".
The July 26 fight will rank as one of the highest-profile all-American boxing bouts on African soil since the legendary 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" that pitted Muhammad Ali against George Foreman in the former Zaire.
Valuev and Uzbekistan's Chagaev are scheduled to box on May 30 for the WBA heavyweight title.
Both fighters hotly dispute the ownership of the belt after Valuev suffered his only defeat when losing to Chagaev in April 2007.