50 famous quotes and sayings from Evander Holyfield (2021)

What are your favorite quotes from Evander Holyfield?

Evander Holyfield is an American former professional boxer who was active from 1984 to 2014. He started his career at age 20 and fought at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela for the United States, which earned him a medal silver.

Holyfield was renowned for his ability to predict his opponent’s moves. Not only that, but he also has an incredibly good hitting and fighting method that no one has ever seen. He has won over 40 victories in his fights which have earned him the nickname “The Real Deal”.

Here is a collection of the most famous quotes from Evander Holyfield:

50 famous quotes and sayings from Evander Holyfield

1. “If you don’t rejoice in your work, you’ve already lost.” – Evander Holyfield

2. “I feel compassion for all of them, especially Bruno. I met him and he’s a good man. – Evander Holyfield

3. “If you quit whenever things don’t go the way you want them to, you’ll quit smoking for the rest of your life.” – Evander Holyfield

4. “The main thing about Bruce Lee is that he was a little guy. And you know, his speed, his aggressiveness, his explosive power, you have to be a great athlete to have all of that, his body, his looks, you know, all of those things have to do with discipline and structure. He got to face the bigger guy no matter who he was. – Evander Holyfield

5. “If you don’t take any chances, you are not an artist. Artists always take risks. You’re going to see a singer, they’re going to hit the high note. They’re going to hit that note, they’re not afraid, they’re going to exaggerate the fact and make me like, make me say, ‘Wow, I wish I could do that!’ – Evander Holyfield

6. “When, at a young age, you learn to face your fears, it makes the difference between people who are champions and those who are not champions.” – Evander Holyfield

7. “Well, number one, I love to dance. Number two, I knew it would be a challenge because I had never done this type of dance before. I always wanted and had the courage to go there and do my best. – Evander Holyfield

8. “When I finally know I can stop fighting. Of course, it will also be a little sad. The sweetest times, you know, always come with just a little bit of sadness. – Evander Holyfield

9. “I have to have an adjustment before I get in the ring. I believe in chiropractic. I have found that going to a chiropractor three times a week improves my performance. The majority of boxers seek to gain this advantage. “- Evander Holyfield

10th of 50 quotes from Evander Holyfield

10. “Of course a boxing match is difficult because boxing is not for you to do any good. You have to impose your will on someone, but to dance you don’t have to force your will. It should be a lot easier because if I make a mistake I don’t get hit. – Evander Holyfield

11. “Whipping Tyson was really sweet.” – Evander Holyfield

12. “At first when the pain came on and I saw him spit his ear out of his mouth, it was a shocking thing. Shocking things are supposed to happen to other people. But you have to answer correctly. When I came right back to him, the hole in my ear raw and bleeding, it was his turn to be shocked. I broke Tyson’s heart that night. – Evander Holyfield

13. “When it comes to training, I know exactly what I’m doing.” – Evander Holyfield

14. “I have had a great life following my faith and my instincts.” – Evander Holyfield

15. “Everyone has the freedom to say what they want. I think it takes a stronger person to hold their tongue rather than to speak. “- Evander Holyfield

16. “A champion shows who he is by what he does when tested. When a person stands up and says “I can still do this”, he is a champion. “- Evander Holyfield

17. “The game has been good for me and I hope I have been good for the game. I am 50 years old and have done just about everything I wanted to do in boxing. – Evander Holyfield

18. “Bruno liked to train and keep in shape. And, in that sense, we are the same. So maybe I can tell him that boxing is just one aspect of his life. It’s gone but, as a man, he should tap into the virtues he found in the ring. I want him to pray rather than surrender. This is the best advice I can give. – Evander Holyfield

19. “My goal is to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.” – Evander Holyfield

20th of 50 Evander Holyfield Quotes

20. “The main goal now is to renew and refresh myself.” – Evander Holyfield

21. “No. I’d probably better not be in politics. They have too much control over you when you are in politics. – Evander Holyfield

22. “A setback paves the way for a comeback.” – Evander Holyfield

23. “It’s not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters.” – Evander Holyfield

24. “The word of God stabilizes me. He says your trials and tribulations make you who you are. So you can see my whole story in how I endured and overcame certain testing experiences. “- Evander Holyfield

25. “Sugar leaves you stranded; I make sure I have the right amount of protein before I work out. “- Evander Holyfield

26. “I beat Larry Holmes and George Foreman. I whipped Mike Tyson twice. I got bitten in my ear and spat on the floor in front of me. I have seen everything that is possible to see in boxing. I know this profession better than anyone. So I live and die by my own decisions. – Evander Holyfield

27. “Meanwhile, people want to decide my life for me. They keep reminding me that I’ll be 41 next month. They keep telling me that boxing is brutal business. – Evander Holyfield

28. “People who choose to study, work hard, or do whatever they do is give their all to reach the highest level. And you have people who arouse envy and jealousy, but they’re not willing to do that job, and they want to receive the same praise. – Evander Holyfield

29. “Madison Square Garden, November 1984. I don’t remember getting too scared in the ring. I knew I could fight. But I had a big shock. They put me with this tough, tough veteran called Lionel Byarm. He tested me to the limit. But I fought my heart and, in the end, I triumphed. The story of my life, during my very first fight. – Evander Holyfield

30th of 50 Evander Holyfield Quotes

30. “A sight play is that I am injured, but I aim to make you believe that I am not even injured, and with this confidence showing on my face, I am not panicking, otherwise your opponent will know that you are hurt. This is the whole art game of boxing. – Evander Holyfield

31. “Stay on your guard and always move forward.” – Evander Holyfield

32. “On the surface, Tyson is more dangerous. But Toney is much smarter than Tyson. He’s a real fighter. I might have to dig hard to win this one. – Evander Holyfield

33. “Deep down, I think the sweetest moment will come when it’s all finally over.” – Evander Holyfield

34. “Fighters find it hard to give up doing what they do best: fighting for a living.” – Evander Holyfield

35. “This is the biggest problem with boxing in the United States. They don’t promote like they did when it was Howard Cosell and they showed it on “Wide World of Sports”. Everyone knew all the fighters. Everyone was looking forward to the year the Olympic Games will take place. “- Evander Holyfield

36. “The pressure bursts the pipes. I thank God for giving me the peace of mind to overcome the pressure. The difference between winning and losing is when the pressure hits. “- Evander Holyfield

37. “Well, when I think of steroids, I think of a picture. You have the advantage over someone, which is a form of cheating. Guess it wouldn’t be fair unless it was legal for everyone. The reason it’s not legal for everyone is that it can seriously hurt people. – Evander Holyfield

38. “It’s only natural that the word ‘quit smoking’ is sometimes in my head. But I haven’t chosen to say it yet. I’m always happier to say, I keep going. – Evander Holyfield

39. “I have three lashes a day from my mom.” – Evander Holyfield

40th of 50 Evander Holyfield Quotes

40. “When you have a sound mind, you can do whatever is necessary.” – Evander Holyfield

41. “We lived in a really difficult place but my mom kept me straight.” – Evander Holyfield

42. “They don’t show Olympic boxing on prime-time television. They haven’t done it since 1988. In 1992 they showed one: Oscar De La Hoya. In 1996, they did not show it. In 2000, they did not show it. In 2004, they did not show it. In 2008, they didn’t even mention boxing at all. You would think that the United States did not have a boxing team in 2008. ”- Evander Holyfield

43. “The big guys choose who they want to fight and they think about the story: ‘how many times have I defended my title’. They are trying to break a record: “how long was I there”. But if you look at the pedigree, which they fought, no one will give them credit because they fought a lot of people with no experience. – Evander Holyfield

44. “I now had to ask for forgiveness myself. I’m just a man. I also make mistakes. – Evander Holyfield

45. “I lived in a project and didn’t have a good education. But I was listening to the preacher say that God would show me the way. It all starts with that trust. – Evander Holyfield

46. “I arrived poor. My mother only had a fourth grade education. My father had no education at all. But they were very structured. They worked hard. You know, they didn’t complain. They didn’t whisper. And they believe in Christ. “- Evander Holyfield

47. “I have seen everything you can see in boxing. I know this profession better than anyone. So I live and die by my own decisions. – Evander Holyfield

48. “He really listens to his coach. He just doesn’t listen to me. I still can’t convince him not to do anything. – Evander Holyfield

49. “I’m just a woman, my mom, to be the same as Mike Tyson. I would have ended up like him if my mom hadn’t been so tough and strong. A lot of people, including Mike, don’t know I’m from the ghetto. They think I’m too nice and decent. But that’s how my mom raised me – to look people in the eye and respect them. – Evander Holyfield

50. “From what I heard, young Indian boxers started to do well on the world stage and started to gain the attention of the general public.” – Evander Holyfield