Evander Holyfield is planning to challenge Russian Nikolai Valuev for the WBA heavyweight title in a bid to become the oldest world champion in boxing history, it was revealed on Thursday.
”Yes, we are in negotiations with Evander Holyfield,” Chris Meyer, the managing director of German company Sauerland Events, which represents Valuev, said.
Holyfield will be 46 on October 19 and if he wins the fight, he will become the oldest heavyweight champion in history — passing George Foreman who was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994.
Mayer added: ”We have made him an offer, but nothing has been signed yet.
”Should the fight happen, it will likely be staged in either Switzerland or Germany in December.”
December 20 has been pencilled in as a possible fight date and Holyfield has confirmed his lawyer is looking at the fight contract.
”It’s solid,” said Holyfield on the ESPN.com website.
”They asked if I will take the fight for the offer they made and if everything is straight up, I will take that fight. My lawyer is looking at it.”
With a fight record of 42 wins, 27 knock-outs, nine defeats and two draws, Holyfield was the undisputed heavyweight champion in the 1990s, having twice beaten Mike Tyson, before he lost his WBC, WBA and IBF belts to Lennox Lewis in 1999.
He is most famous for having his ear bitten by Mike Tyson during their fight in 1997.
But since 2001, he has won only five of his eleven fights and lost his last fight to WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov in Moscow in October 2007.
Valuev defeated John Ruiz for the vacant WBA title in August and regained the title he lost to Ruslan Chagaev in April 2007. — AFP
