DES NEWS D'EVANDER HOLYFIELD, EN DIRECT DE SON BOOT CAMP...

Evander Holyfield and Lou Savarese are in full swing at their respective training camps in Houston, TX.  As of this week both fighters will have begun sparring.              

On Thursday, May 31 Evander visited the Houston Texans mini-camp and gave the NFL players a motivational speech about what it takes to become a champion.  The team then presented Holyfield with a personalized jersey saying “Real Deal” across the back and the number five emblazoned on both sides—five in reference to Evander’s quest to win his fifth world heavyweight championship.

Both fighters aren’t expected to arrive in El Paso until one week prior to the fight.

Holyfield Camp: Trainer Ronnie Shields

“It doesn’t take Evander long to get into boxing shape because he arrives in camp well-conditioned.  When some guys come to camp I have to start them on the pads because they’re not in good enough shape yet to go right into sparring.  Evander’s different.”   

Shields, who also trains WBA Lightweight Champion Juan Diaz and super featherweight contender Rocky Juarez, recognizes that his approach to training a veteran like Holyfield is much different than it is for the young guys. 

“With a veteran like Evander the most important thing is conditioning.  At a certain point when you’ve fought for as long as he has you know what to do.  My job is not so much to teach him as it is to lead him.  Sometimes veterans will try and put the cart before the horse.  I’m there to make sure he does things in the right order.  For ex., There are certain times you should jab;  and there are times when you shouldn’t.  I’m there to point those things out”

Holyfield Camp: Evander Holyfield on Sparring

“When you know what you’re supposed to do, you don’t need as much sparring. When you’re experienced a lot of sparring is just about making adjustments.  The only thing I need it for is to get my timing down . . . I remember what it was like to spar everyday.  I remember before my first pro fight in Atlanta I was sparring with Jimmy Young.  For a while he had me looking foolish.  I kept saying to myself: ‘You mean to tell me this man is in his 40s and you’re in your 20s and you can’t hit this guy?’  It was embarrassing.  Plus, at the time he had a stomach and he’d sit there laughing.  I’d go in their and try and kill him and keep missing.  But then I learned.  I used my brain.  I knew he’d slip four punches, so I’d throw eight so that he’d get hit with the last four.  And I learned not to throw everything I had behind every punch. You have to have balance.  Otherwise, you leave yourself wide-open to be countered.  Now I out-think the young guys.  I play with their minds.  You can’t beat knowledge”

Source _ CAMP NOTES June 5, 2007