Evander Holyfield Quotes

It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters.

Fighters find it hard to give up doing what they do best - fighting for a living.

A champion shows who he is by what he does when he's tested.

When a person gets up and says 'I can still do it', he's a champion.

Madison Square Garden, November 1984.

I don't recall taking too much fear into the ring. I knew I could fight. But I got a big shock. They put me in with this rough, tough veteran called Lionel Byarm. He tested me to the limit. But I fought my heart out and, in the end, I prevailed. The story of my life, in my very first fight.

A champion shows who he is by what he does.

When at a young age you learn to face your fears, that makes the difference between people being champions and people not being champions.

The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself.

If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive your kids, either.

Pressure bursts pipes. I thank God for giving me peace of mind to overcome pressure. The difference between winning and losing is when pressure hits.

Deep down, I reckon the sweetest moment will come when it's finally all over.

When, at last, I know that I can stop fighting. Of course it'll also be a little sad. The sweetest moments, y'know, always come with just a little sadness.

I lived in a project and...didn't have a good education. But...I'd listen to the preacher, who said that God would show me the way. Everything starts from that confidence.

When you have a sound mind, you can do what's necessary.

That's the biggest problem with boxing in the United States.

They do not promote it like they used to, when it used to be Howard Cosell and they showed it on 'Wide World of Sports.' Everybody knew all the fighters. Everybody was looking forward to the year when the Olympics came on.

He listens to his trainer real good. He just doesn't listen to me. I still can't get him to do nothing.

My goal is to be the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World.

I'm just one woman away, my mother, from being the same as Mike Tyson.

I would've ended up like him if my mama had not been so tough and strong. A lot of people, including Mike, don't know I came from the ghetto. They think I'm too nice and proper. But that's the way my mama raised me - to look people in the eye and respect them.

I lost my first fight at the Boys Club at 11 years old and quit the team. My mother told me I had to go back because she didn't raise no quitter. I lost a second fight and quit again and still my mother wouldn't let me. She made me go back and try again.

I beat Larry Holmes and George Foreman. I whupped Mike Tyson twice. I had my ear chewed off and spat on the ground in front of me. I've seen everything it is possible to see in boxing. I know this business better than anyone. So I live and die by my own decisions.

Well, of course a boxing match is hard because boxing isn't set for you to do good. You have to force your will upon someone, but dancing 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.

If you don't take no chances, then you're not a performer. Performers always take chances. You go see a singer, they'll hit the high note. They'll hit that note, they're not afraid, they're gonna exaggerate the fact and make me enjoy it, make me say, 'Wow, I wish I could do that!

Well, number one I like dancing. Number two I knew it would be challenging because I had never done this type of dance before. I always wanted to and I happened to have the courage to go out there and give it my best shot.

I do not lose; I just do not get decisions sometimes. You lose when you quit. I have never quit. When it comes down to a decision, judges make a decision as to which fighter they want to win the fight. I have always been able to survive no matter whom they decide to give the fight to.

A fight with Mike Tyson or Riddick Bowe always sells, because those people came to win. When you come to win, people will see a good show. When you come to survive, it can become boring.

The cat and mouse game is smart, but people want to see fighters who come to win, or do not wait to go to the judges. When the fight goes all the way, they see the spirit of the person that wants to win.

Either I believe I can be the best heavyweight fighter in the world and beat everyone, or I will not. I feel I can beat everyone as a heavyweight.

The big guys choose who they want to fight and they think about history: 'how many times I defended my title.' They try to break a record: 'how long I was there.' But if you look at the pedigree, who they fought, ain't nobody gonna give them credit for it because they fought a lot of people with no experience.

If you quit every time things don't go your way, then you'll be quitting all through your life.

Everyone has freedom to say whatever they want to say. I think it takes a stronger person to hold their tongue as opposed to speaking out.

As far as working out, I know exactly what I'm doing.

No. I probably do better not being in politics. They have too much control over you when you are in politics.

The game's been good to me and I hope I've been good to the game. I'm 50 years old and I've pretty much did everything that I wanted to do in boxing.

I got three whippings a day from my mama.

When you refuse to fight guys because you say you are better than them, that is not really being the best. If I could just fight certain fighters that fit my style, I would look great in all of them.

We lived in a real rough place but my mother kept me straight.

From what I hear is happening, young Indian boxers have started to do well on the world stage and started to gain the attention of the general audience.

There are a lot of times I have seen someone fight, and I think the guy is tailor made for me until they actually get in the ring with me. Fighters that are more aggressive match up better with me. There is really no defense when a guy is trying to get you. When a guy is trying to get you, you cannot get him, which makes the most compelling fight.

Stay on your toes and always move forward.

Odds are just the people opinion. Respect your own opinion.

Opponents make an excuse as to why they do not want to fight someone. Who are the people you actually make a big payday fighting against? There are not too many people out there. Most people refuse to fight people that are necessary. They think winning is the only thing to do. It is not winning if you have not fought the best.

When you do not change up a lot, people may know you a lot better than they should.

You cannot let something deter you from giving someone a rematch unless you are going to retire. If you are going to retire, go ahead, but if not, you need to do what you are going to do. You do not have to keep playing with the game of boxing. If you are going to fight, fight.

I've had a great life following my faith and my instincts.

A setback only paves the way for a comeback.

I have to have an adjustment before I go into the ring. I do believe in chiropractic. I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. The majority of boxers go to get that edge.

Every time someone starts talking about weight, it takes away from the fight. No one is born at that weight. We grew into that weight. It is all about the challenge, more so than the weight.

I think my whole living in vain involves me. I know that the biggest help for me is to help someone else in so many different ways.