Evander Holyfield
insists he can be heavyweight champion again after his upcoming comeback.He plans to underline his claims on April 10 when he challenges World Boxing Federation title-holder Frans Botha at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
"I'm not finished, yet. I will be champion of the world again," Holyfield said.
The 47-year-old is coming off of a controversial 12-round majority decision loss in December 2008 to then-WBA champion Nikolai Valuev.
Holyfield hasn't fought in Las Vegas in 11 years and he's looking forward to returning to the city of his greatest accomplishments.
"I'm honoured to be fighting again in Las Vegas," he said.
"Realistically, everything good happened to me in Las Vegas, starting when I made the 1984 US Olympic team. I became the undisputed world cruiserweight champion there (v Carlos DeLeon in 1988).
"The first time I won the world heavyweight title was there (v Buster Douglas in 1990).
"My second (v Riddick Bowe in 1993), third (v Mike Tyson in 1996), and fourth (v John Ruiz in 2000) heavyweight titles were all won in Las Vegas. It's where I've done my greatest things and I'm really looking forward to fighting back in Las Vegas."
All four of Botha's losses have all been to world champions - Tyson, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko - and three came in world championship fights.
"This guy isn't afraid to come and fight," Holyfield added. "All of Botha's losses have been to world champions. He comes to fight, I come to fight; it should be a very interesting match-up."
Source: espnstar.com
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