“My Oldest Sister Had Two Kids My Age”: Evander Holyfield Opens Up About His Childhood, Raised by Single Mom With 9 Siblings

Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield. They were probably the last of the greatest heavyweight boxers in the sport’s history. They fought each other and carried on their shoulders a tradition that was cracked by the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman. Eventually, as it happened, by the first decade of the new century, Tyson and Lewis retired. But Holyfield continued. In 2010, at age 47, he became the WBF heavyweight champion. A year later, he finally retired with a record of 44 wins against ten losses.

Many fans and followers unfortunately remember Evander Holyfield, a prolific boxer, for the unfortunate incidents that took place in and around the boxing ring. The only boxer in history who became the undisputed champion in two weight divisions in the three-belt era, ‘The Real Deal’ sat down for a bare-it-all with the VLAD TV. He started narrating his life’s journey. From a childhood spent at a home living alongside his nine siblings, looked after by their single mother.

Close-knit protection for the heavyweight champion

During the discussion, as he shared, unlike the rest of his siblings, he was born to a different father. Nevertheless, Holyfield barely came across any father figures to guide him through his childhood. The reporter asked, “So you have a single mom with nine kids? How did she pull that  off?” ‘The Real Deal’ clarified that it wasn’t precisely the case. Actually, he had two elder sisters with children who were as old as the future boxing champion. So in a way, the entire family was pitching in to take care of the young.

He said, “Well, at my well my two oldest sisters they were old enough; they were old enough to have kids our age cause my oldest sister had two kids my age like that, and then she had two, like, one year behind me and three years behind me.”

Though mostly through monosyllables, Evander Holyfield could share that he was the youngest of nine children. Born in Atmore, Alabama, his family, however, moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Unlike many popular perceptions, he clarified that his family hadn’t moved to a project when they relocated to Atlanta. So initially, they stayed at the residence of his brother-in-law’s mother.

It was some time, around the age of seven or eight, that ‘The Real Deal’ picked up gloves. He won his first championship at the age of fifteen.

The real deals in the ring

It might seem that Tyson and Lewis, often overshadowed him. However, the feats accomplished by Evander Holyfield are not lesser by any stretch of the imagination. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he started off as a Cruiserweight and became a world champion when he was 23. He not only retained his first title but also became an undisputed Cruiserweight champion in 1988.

Two years later, he defeated James ‘Buster’ Douglas and became the undisputed Heavyweight champion. However, fans had to wait for six years to see him fight the two epics with Mike Tyson, the second of which earned the sobriquet ‘The Bite Fight.’

Read More: “We Still Miss You in Boxing”: Evander Holyfield’s Message of Gratitude to Fans for Birthday Wishes Leaves Them Nostalgic

Which is your favorite Evander Holyfield fight of all time? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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