On This Day

In Boxing History!

1962: Evander Holyfield Was Born!

Evander Holyfield

Date of Birth: October 19th, 1962

Birth Place: Atmore, Alabama

Residence: Atlanta, Georgia

Amateur Record: 160–14, 75Ko’s

1984: Olympic Bronze Medalist

Pro-Debut: November 15th, 1984

Division: Cruiserweight, Heavyweight

Alias: The Real Deal

Stance: Orthodox

Height: 6′ 2½″  

Reach: 78″  

Bouts: 57

Rounds: 443

Ko’s: 50.88%

Career: 1984-2011

Record: 44-10-2, 29Ko’s   

World Titles:

Holyfield is the only fighter to win a portion of the World Heavyweight Championship four times.

WBA Cruiserweight Champion (1986-1988)

Won the title with a fifteen-round split decision against Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

IBF Cruiserweight Champion (1987-1988)

Won the title with a third-round TKO of Ricky Parkey.

WBC Cruiserweight Champion (1988)

Won the title with an eighth-round TKO of Carlos DeLeon. Became the first Undisputed World Cruiserweight Champion.

Vacated the WBA/WBC/IBF championship to move up to heavyweight.

WBC/WBA/IBF Heavyweight Champion (1990-1992)

Won the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship with a third-round KO of James "Buster" Douglas.

Lost the title to Riddick Bowe by a twelve-round unanimous decision.

WBA/IBF Heavyweight Champion (1993-1994)

Won the title with a twelve-round majority decision against Riddick Bowe.

Lost the title to Michael Moorer by a twelve-round majority decision.

WBA Heavyweight Champion (1996-1999)

Won the title with an eleventh-round TKO of Mike Tyson.

IBF Heavyweight Champion (1997-1999)

Won the title with an eighth-round TKO of Michael Moorer.

Lost the WBA/IBF championship to Lennox Lewis by a twelve-round unanimous decision.

WBA Heavyweight Champion (2000-2001)

Won the vacant title with a twelve-round unanimous decision against John Ruiz.

Lost the title to John Ruiz by a twelve-round unanimous decision.

2015: Inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame

October 19th

1856: James Kelly & Jack Smith fight bareknuckle for 6 hours 15 minutes in Melbourne, Australia.

1917: Harry Greb ND10 Len Rowlands

1923: Sam Langford KO3 Fireman Jim Flynn

1926: Tod Morgan W10 Johnny Dundee

1955: Bud Smith W15 Jimmy Carter

1962: Evander Holyfield born in Atmore, Alabama

1964: Jorge Luis Gonzalez born

1966: Meldrick Taylor born.

1969: Bernabe Villacampo W15 Hiroyuki Ebihara

1978: Ruslan Chagaev born

1983: Bruce Curry W12 Leroy Haley

1984: Marvin Hagler KO3 Mustafa Hamsho.

1984: Mike McCallum W15 Sean Mannion

1985: Lee Roy Murphy KO12 Chrisanda Mutti

Barry Michael KO4 Jin Shik Choi

1991: Charles Williams KO2 Freddie Delgado

Israel Contreras KO5 Luisito Espinosa

1996: Keith Holmes KO12 Richie Woodhall

William Joppy KO5 Ray McElroy

Phillip Holiday W12 Joel Diaz

Saman Sorjaturong KO2 Ali Galvez

1998: The Nevada Athletic Commission voted 4-1 to restore Mike Tyson's boxing license, with the lone holdout of commissioner James Nave

2001: Veerapol Sahaprom TKO7 Pablo Boy Guevarra

2002: Vivian Harris TKO2 Diosbelys Hurtado

Jose Antonio Aguirre W12 Juan Palacios

2007: Lucian Bute KO11 Alejandro Berrioto

2013: Ruslan Provodnikov KO10 Mike Alvarado

2013: Robert Stieglitz W12 Isaac Ekpo