After confirming in May that he would be coming out of retirement, three-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has been hitting the gym. Hard. “I’m looking forward to stepping up my training sessions and intensity as I prepare for my fight,” he said last month, and a couple of new clips posted to Instagram this week reveal what that intensity looks like.
In the first video, the 57-year-old shows off his weights training, appearing to bench press 180 pounds. In the second, he and his trainer take to the beach to work on speed, strength and resistance; first they demonstrate a series of fast footwork drills, then Holyfield shadowboxes with chains weighing his fists down, practices cardio by running while pulling a parachute, and does pushup reps — all while wearing a weighted vest.
“Strong body. Strong mind. Strong spirit,” Holyfield wrote in the caption.
Holyfield isn’t the only champion doing the absolute most to prepare for a return to boxing. Mike Tyson, 53, has also been posting videos showing off his speedwork as he trains to participate in some exhibition matches for charity. The two fighters’ names have been linked ever since they both stated their intentions to come out of retirement, and for good reason; the boxing world has been waiting for them to face off again ever since Tyson notoriously bit off a part of Holyfield’s ear in 1996.
For his own part, Holyfield has since said that he is “glad” the infamous Bite Fight happened, telling The Times that one of the reasons behind his comeback is that he wants to teach up-and-coming young athletes the importance of forgiveness. Which certainly lends credence to the theory that a rematch is happening — even though the question of “when” remains unanswered.
Source: Read Full Article