Holyfield putting together new team for new title hopes

Saturday, May 15th 2004, 12:03 pm

By: News On 6

FAIRBURN, Ga. (AP) _ Relaxing in a brown leather chair in his palatial suburban Atlanta mansion, Evander Holyfield is within arm's reach of a book about the man who defined the sport of boxing in Holyfield's youth.

The image of Muhammad Ali on the cover of ``Glory,'' prominently displayed on an easel, commands attention even in the expansive dimensions of Holyfield's office.

Ali looks tired and slightly pained as he holds his head in his hands. Holyfield, the only man to win the heavyweight title four times, appears similarly drained as he explains why he is optimistic about his boxing future when so many say it's time for the 41-year-old fighter to retire.

``I want them to know the most important thing is I have to do what I believe I should do,'' Holyfield said. ``That's the point of being a man. You live through the decision you think will work for you. You've got to go out on what you believe.''

He has won only two of his last eight fights, and isn't listed as a top contender in three major rankings. Only the WBA, which lists Holyfield No. 12, ranks the former champion in the top 15.

Yet he remains convinced his destiny is to reclaim the undisputed heavyweight championship. So Holyfield fired his former manager and trainers, in part, because they no longer believe he can live up to his nickname, ``Real Deal,'' in the ring.

``As I have told him, he either needs to change some things very dramatically about how he trains or retire, or he is in my view risking getting hurt in the ring,'' said Jim Thomas, his former manager. ``He disagrees with me emphatically on that issue and has apparently decided that he doesn't want anybody close to him right now who has doubts about whether he ought to proceed with boxing.''

One former trainer, Don Turner, threw in the towel after Holyfield was knocked down in the ninth round by James Toney in a non-title fight on Oct. 4.

Toney was so dominant that after the bout Holyfield admitted, ``If he was a big puncher, I'd have been torn apart.''

But the loss never made Holyfield think about retiring.

``I knew I was going to fight again even that day,'' Holyfield said. ``It never wavered in my mind, but realistically I had to go back and see and ask myself what is going on. If it means changing the camp, I will change the camp.''

And he did, ousting Turner and assistant trainer Kenny Weldon.

``It was obvious the people in my camp couldn't do it or they felt I couldn't do it,'' Holyfield said. ``Either way it goes, I had to get rid of them. I can't get rid of me.''

The biggest surprise of Holyfield's new team was his decision to sign with promoter Don King only a year after he proclaimed he didn't need King.

King has promised a title fight for Holyfield by the end of the year, according to Jim Gould of Holyfield's new management team. But past suspicions about King's business practices have not been forgotten.

``Even if the contract says that, you have to find in your mind what does that really mean,'' Holyfield said when asked about the promised title fight.

Holyfield said he reached a business conclusion that his only path to a championship fight was through King, who also has agreements with the WBA, IBF and WBO champions.

Another member of the new management team, Alex Crys, has been Holyfield's financial adviser for several years. Crys said Holyfield's desire to keep fighting has nothing to do with money, and noted that the boxer has made some ``very wise'' real estate investments.

Holyfield said: ``I'm just fighting to be heavyweight champion of the world.''

He wants to fight even though he admits the current field of top heavyweights, including IBF champ Chris Byrd or WBA champ John Ruiz, ``really don't interest me.''

Holyfield already has achieved more success in the sport than even his coach at the Warren Boys Club in Atlanta, the late Carter Morgan, could have dreamed.

``My coach patted me on the back and said, 'You can be heavyweight champ of the world,''' said Holyfield, who was only 8 years old at the time. ``By me not being wise to boxing, I said, 'What is that?' He said, 'You know Muhammad Ali? You can be just like that.' From that point in time I started to watch boxing, and Ali was the guy that was on television that I watched so many times.''

Holyfield watched as Ali became the first to win three heavyweight titles. Holyfield also watched as Ali stayed in the ring past his prime, suffered losses in three of his last four fights and then, in retirement, lost his athletic grace to the grasp of Parkinson's disease.

Now, Holyfield isn't letting the concerns of former advisers stand in the way of his dream for a fifth championship belt. He's busy looking for a new trainer while he awaits an opponent and date for his next fight.

``I have to be with somebody who believes I can do it,'' he said, ``and I'm not looking to pay somebody just to say it.''