Boxing’s Greats of the States | Georgia: Evander Holyfield

Boxers come from every corner of the globe. Sometimes, fighters are products of their environment, favoring styles prevalent in the country or state from which they hail. Various regions of the United States are considered factories for great fighters, though that certainly is not the case with each state. In this weekly Sherdog.com series, the spotlight will shine on the best boxer of all-time from each of the 50 states. Fighters do not necessarily need to be born in a given state to represent it; they simply need to be associated with it. For example, all-time great heavyweight legend Joe Louis was born in Alabama, but he is identified almost universally with Detroit.

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Casual fans may not realize it, but the state of Georgia has a tremendous amount of boxing history dating back to the glory days of the Sweet Science. On a long list of worthy candidates, one Georgian stands head and shoulders -- and ears -- above the rest.

Evander Holyfield took on all comers throughout his reign as cruiserweight and heavyweight champion, and he won most of his battles. A smaller heavyweight during an underrated era of great big men, “The Holy Warrior” electrified the masses with his never-quit attitude and desire to be one of the best boxers to ever lace up the gloves. Someday, his brilliant career will undoubtedly lead to his being enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Though Holyfield was born in Alabama, he started boxing at age 7 while living in Atlanta. He excelled at the sport and competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, capturing bronze as a 21-year-old. Holyfield then transitioned into a successful pro career. After claiming the undisputed world cruiserweight championship, he got his hands on heavyweight gold when he starched James “Buster” Douglas on Oct. 25, 1990. However, it was not until years later that Holyfield garnered the accolades and praise he deserved.

Holyfield’s trilogy with Riddick Bowe ranks among the greatest in boxing history. He also engaged in two fights with both Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson, the latter leading to the infamous “Bite Fight” in which Tyson was disqualified for biting a chunk out of Holyfield’s ear. Holyfield’s resume includes victories over Bowe, Tyson (twice), Michael Moorer, Larry Holmes, Hasim Rahman, Ray Mercer, George Foreman and Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

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