![How to become a self-taught developer while supporting a family [Podcast #164]](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1741989957776/7e938ad4-f691-4c9e-8c6b-dc26da7767e1.png?#)
‘I thought my head would explode’ – Evander Holyfield names best career victory and it wasn’t against Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield was left in a bad way physically after his very bruising career-best victory in 1986. Holyfield is considered one of the greatest fighters to have ever graced the squared circle having beaten the likes of Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Larry Holmes during his stellar career. GettyHolyfield had two epic battles with Muhammad Qawi[/caption] Tyson was a ferocious puncher and one of the most feared in history, but Holyfield managed to get the better of him in their famous two-fight rivalry. Holyfield did come up short on some big nights, but he dethroned some top-level operators in multiple weight classes. But ‘The Real Deal’ has recalled how a brutal 15-round war with Muhammad Qawi was his personal favourite. He said in a column with The Guardian written in 2008: “I have no idea how I got back to my hotel after beating Muhammad Qawi over 15 rounds – a fight I still consider the best victory of my career. “My next memory was being in the shower and getting socked with a series of intensely painful cramps. “Not just in my legs and back but my arms and even my neck. My head hurt, too, so bad I thought it was going to explode. “I started to double over and grabbed a fistful of shower curtain to hold myself up. ” I managed to stay upright for a few seconds, but then another wave of spasms hit me and I went down, tearing the shower rod out of the wall. “It must have looked like the shower scene from Psycho, with me squirming around in the bathtub. “Ken Sanders and Shelly Finkel, my co-managers, were staying in the same hotel, and she called them to come over. They helped her get me out of the shower and then put some clothes on me. “I knew right away that I was badly dehydrated. Something like this had happened to me four years before, when I was trying to get down to 156lb to make an amateur weight class. GettyHolyfield fought in a brutal decision 15-rounder, his best career victory[/caption] Check out all the best Cheltenham Festival free bets and offers at our dedicated page “I’d been taken to the hospital then, and since this was much, much worse, I knew I needed to go there as soon as possible.” Holyfield was handed a split decision victory, but it was a brutal war and one that clearly took him to the physical well. The 15-round fights were later abolished in the late 80’s with the WBA following suit in 1987 over widespread concerns over fighter health. Qawi later stepped in for a sequel against Holyfield, a second episode of their epic battle. But Holyfield ensured he didn’t take the same level of punishment in a sensational stoppage win. The KO came one year later in 1997, and it saw him drop his rival twice. He went on to have a sensational time in the sport, clinching the undisputed titles at cruiserweight. Things didn’t end there as he moved up to heavyweight where he earned mega-money paydays in the 90’s for his more notorious showdowns while again becoming undisputed champion. He retired in 2011 after beating Bryan Nielsen in his final bow as a professional. But worryingly he returned in a disastrous exhibition in 2021 where he was brutally knocked out by Vitor Belfort. Follow talkBOXING on social media talkBOXING is now on Twitter and Facebook. Follow us on social media for big breaking boxing news, exclusive interviews and the best bits from our talkBOXING YouTube show. Like our Facebook page HERE Follow us on Twitter HERE Sign up for our WhatsApp channel HERE
Evander Holyfield was left in a bad way physically after his very bruising career-best victory in 1986.
Holyfield is considered one of the greatest fighters to have ever graced the squared circle having beaten the likes of Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Larry Holmes during his stellar career.
Tyson was a ferocious puncher and one of the most feared in history, but Holyfield managed to get the better of him in their famous two-fight rivalry.
Holyfield did come up short on some big nights, but he dethroned some top-level operators in multiple weight classes.
But ‘The Real Deal’ has recalled how a brutal 15-round war with Muhammad Qawi was his personal favourite.
He said in a column with The Guardian written in 2008: “I have no idea how I got back to my hotel after beating Muhammad Qawi over 15 rounds – a fight I still consider the best victory of my career.
“My next memory was being in the shower and getting socked with a series of intensely painful cramps.
“Not just in my legs and back but my arms and even my neck. My head hurt, too, so bad I thought it was going to explode.
“I started to double over and grabbed a fistful of shower curtain to hold myself up.
” I managed to stay upright for a few seconds, but then another wave of spasms hit me and I went down, tearing the shower rod out of the wall.
“It must have looked like the shower scene from Psycho, with me squirming around in the bathtub.
“Ken Sanders and Shelly Finkel, my co-managers, were staying in the same hotel, and she called them to come over. They helped her get me out of the shower and then put some clothes on me.
“I knew right away that I was badly dehydrated. Something like this had happened to me four years before, when I was trying to get down to 156lb to make an amateur weight class.
Check out all the best Cheltenham Festival free bets and offers at our dedicated page
“I’d been taken to the hospital then, and since this was much, much worse, I knew I needed to go there as soon as possible.”
Holyfield was handed a split decision victory, but it was a brutal war and one that clearly took him to the physical well.
The 15-round fights were later abolished in the late 80’s with the WBA following suit in 1987 over widespread concerns over fighter health.
Qawi later stepped in for a sequel against Holyfield, a second episode of their epic battle.
But Holyfield ensured he didn’t take the same level of punishment in a sensational stoppage win.
The KO came one year later in 1997, and it saw him drop his rival twice.
He went on to have a sensational time in the sport, clinching the undisputed titles at cruiserweight.
Things didn’t end there as he moved up to heavyweight where he earned mega-money paydays in the 90’s for his more notorious showdowns while again becoming undisputed champion.
He retired in 2011 after beating Bryan Nielsen in his final bow as a professional.
But worryingly he returned in a disastrous exhibition in 2021 where he was brutally knocked out by Vitor Belfort.
