Evander Holyfield vs. Sherman "The Tank" Williams
Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 11:54 am
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing ... id=5455628
Evander Holyfield will fight Sherman "The Tank" Williams on Nov. 5, just a few weeks after the former four-time heavyweight champ turns 48.
Ken Sanders, Holyfield's manager, told ESPN.com Wednesday that he had received a signed contract from Williams, 37, for the 12-round bout.
Sanders said the fight "most likely" will take place at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. He said Holyfield and a business associate were going to meet with arena officials next week to finalize the deal.
Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KOs) is coming off an eighth-round knockout of Francis Botha on April 10 in Las Vegas in which Holyfield claimed a minor title. It was Holyfield's first fight since a controversial decision loss to then-titleholder Nikolai Valuev in Switzerland in December 2008.
Williams (34-11-2, 19 KOs), of the Bahamas, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to prospect Manuel Charr in October in Germany, but has faced several name opponents, including losses to former titlist Ruslan Chagaev and former title challenger Jameel McCline.
"We've been working on who to get and there were several fighters we were talking to, but Williams was the one who accepted the fight. It's a good fight for TV," Sanders said.
Television plans for the fight, however, have not been determined. Sanders said they might go the pay-per-view route like they did for the fight with Botha.
Despite his age, Holyfield is still aiming for a major fight, and Sanders said a victory over Williams could pave the way to a fight with titleholder Vitali Klitschko.
"What we are going to do is have this fight and then either in January or February, we hope to be able to fight Vitali Klitschko for the WBC belt," Sanders said. "I have spoken already to the WBC and [president] Jose Sulaiman has already blessed it for me. I am speaking to the Klitschko people and I think they will do it."
Klitschko first defends his title Oct. 16 against an opponent to be determined, although former champ Shannon Briggs is the leading candidate, according to the Klitschko camp.
Holyfield, a 1984 U.S. Olympian, is in his 26th year as a professional fighter.
Evander Holyfield will fight Sherman "The Tank" Williams on Nov. 5, just a few weeks after the former four-time heavyweight champ turns 48.
Ken Sanders, Holyfield's manager, told ESPN.com Wednesday that he had received a signed contract from Williams, 37, for the 12-round bout.
Sanders said the fight "most likely" will take place at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. He said Holyfield and a business associate were going to meet with arena officials next week to finalize the deal.
Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KOs) is coming off an eighth-round knockout of Francis Botha on April 10 in Las Vegas in which Holyfield claimed a minor title. It was Holyfield's first fight since a controversial decision loss to then-titleholder Nikolai Valuev in Switzerland in December 2008.
Williams (34-11-2, 19 KOs), of the Bahamas, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to prospect Manuel Charr in October in Germany, but has faced several name opponents, including losses to former titlist Ruslan Chagaev and former title challenger Jameel McCline.
"We've been working on who to get and there were several fighters we were talking to, but Williams was the one who accepted the fight. It's a good fight for TV," Sanders said.
Television plans for the fight, however, have not been determined. Sanders said they might go the pay-per-view route like they did for the fight with Botha.
Despite his age, Holyfield is still aiming for a major fight, and Sanders said a victory over Williams could pave the way to a fight with titleholder Vitali Klitschko.
"What we are going to do is have this fight and then either in January or February, we hope to be able to fight Vitali Klitschko for the WBC belt," Sanders said. "I have spoken already to the WBC and [president] Jose Sulaiman has already blessed it for me. I am speaking to the Klitschko people and I think they will do it."
Klitschko first defends his title Oct. 16 against an opponent to be determined, although former champ Shannon Briggs is the leading candidate, according to the Klitschko camp.
Holyfield, a 1984 U.S. Olympian, is in his 26th year as a professional fighter.