POIPU, Kauai -- Golf is such a great game. Holyfield not ready
to quit his day jobWhere else can you get a chance to meet the heavyweight boxing champion of the world?
Evander Holyfield played in Monday's PGA Grand Slam pro-am at the Poipu Bay Resort. The Hyatt Regency Kauai had wall-to-wall celebrities, including nongolfer John Travolta.
Tiger Woods drew the most autograph seekers, besides winning the event's $400,000 top prize. But Holyfield drew as many looks with his imposing build, befitting that of a heavyweight champion.
He'll be the first to tell you, though, that when it comes to golf, he's a lightweight.
"It's more difficult hitting that little white ball just sitting there than a moving target," said Holyfield, who was the guest of Turner Sports. Well, at least the golf ball can't hit back, Evander.
His golf handicap? It's listed as a 28.
"Shoot. You can't give me enough (strokes)," said Holyfield, who plays about a month out of the year. He got involved with golf when he started a benefit golf tournament for underprivileged youngsters in Atlanta four years ago.
Naturally, the topic gravitated to boxing in general and Mike Tyson in particular.
Holyfield's glad to see that Tyson got his license back to fight again.
Tyson had his license revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after being disqualified for biting both of Holyfield's ears in their title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 28, 1997.
"It's a good thing for him. Give him another opportunity to redeem himself," Holyfield said. "Hopefully, he'll do well and can change his life."
Holyfield will get back into the ring March 13 in a heavyweight unification title fight against Lennox Lewis at New York's Madison Square Garden. Holyfield holds the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation crowns, and Lewis is the World Boxing Council champion.
"My goal is to be the undisputed world champion. And I will be," Holyfield said.
To do that, besides beating Lewis, it's obvious that meeting Tyson again in what should be a megabucks match has to be in his future.
Not so fast, says Holyfield.
"I'm the champion. Tyson still has to prove himself. He definitely has to get himself back in contention. Work himself up," Holyfield said.
"Everybody's got to realize what the drawing power is (of Tyson) and what the drawing power is of the heavyweight champion," he said.
By that comment, it's clear that as far as Holyfield is concerned, Tyson needs Holyfield more than Holyfield needs Tyson.
How about those ears, Evander?
"It wasn't as bad as a lot of people thought it was," Holyfield said.
But getting bit like that was quite a shock, according to Holyfield.
"It's something you never expect. I've been boxing for 27 years and stuff like that never happened to me," he said.
The Tyson fight might have been the most memorable, but Holyfield feels his second victory over Michael Moorer and his three bouts with Riddick Bowe were more significant and difficult.
To say that boxing has been very, very good to him would be an understatement.
He started fighting at age 8 with the Boys Club in Atlanta. Now he has a 103-room mansion on 200 acres just south of his native city.
"It's my 'Generation House' for my kids, my grandkids and my great grandkids," Holyfield said.
At 36, he plans to keep fighting. "As long as I decide to fight. I feel good, I'm healthy. And I can win."
Seems like good enough reasons.