Holyfield Can Go Out a Winner if He Will Only Admit He Lost

An open letter to Evander Holyfield:

Dear champ,

Do the honorable thing.

Make a move unprecedented in boxing history.

Offer to turn your heavyweight titles over to Lennox Lewis.

You know he beat you last Saturday at Madison Square Garden. The whole world knows.

In her heart, even judge Eugenia Williams knows.

Evander, your once-sparkling image has taken the kind of beating in the public arena recently that you took in that ring last Saturday from Lewis in the fight for the undisputed heavyweight title.

But this is your chance to resurrect that image. This is your chance to still be remembered as one of boxing’s greatest champions, not only for your talent, but for your--and here’s a word rarely heard in boxing circles--integrity.

You have brought excitement to the sport for 15 years.

But even more important, in a sport besmirched by shady promoters, lawbreaking champions and questionable judges, you brought honor and respectability.

When Mike Tyson threatened to drag the sport even deeper into the morass, you rescued it by beating him in 1996 and becoming that rarest boxing phenomenon, a champion who could also serve as a role model.

When Tyson bit off a piece of your right ear in the celebrated 1997 rematch, you again rose above another of boxing’s dark moments, refusing to whine, refusing to vilify. You advocated forgiveness and understanding for Tyson, who is obviously a very troubled person.

But now, two years later, it is you, Evander, who has acquired a negative image through circumstances not entirely of your making.

You certainly contributed. By preaching strong religious values, making it the centerpiece of all your public appearances, you left yourself open to criticism when you fathered five illegitimate children with four women.

When Lewis called you a “hypocrite,” a lot of people nodded.

Then came your ill-advised prediction of a third-round knockout of Lewis in last week’s battle.

Evander, there’s an art to this prediction business. When Muhammad Ali did it, back in the days when he was known as Cassius Clay, he made his pronouncements with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

He was campaigning for a heavyweight title shot, and most people understood that.

And he named the round of destruction for his opponent only in fights he knew he could control.

When you declared that your prediction was more than that, that it was a moment of “truth,” from on high, you set yourself up as boastful and arrogant, bordering on delusional.

When you not only failed to deliver, but looked so bad overall in the fight, your credibility was seriously bruised.

By mixing your religious belief with your belief in a third-round knockout, you left people wondering if they could believe anything you say.

Williams acknowledged Thursday in front of a New York state Senate hearing, after viewing a tape of the fight, that she mistakenly gave you the fifth round. But you know that wasn’t the only round she made a mistake on.

You can’t take the fight and your actions preceding it back, but you can give back your World Boxing Assn., and International Boxing Federation titles to the respective sanctioning organizations.

They might not automatically give them to Lewis, but what do you have to lose?

If at age 36, you decide to retire, as many feel you should, you would have to give up those titles anyway. And wouldn’t you be remembered more for giving them up because you had not done enough to defend them in the ring?

That certainly won’t take away from the fact that you are a three-time heavyweight champion. Nobody can take that from you.

If you decide to fight again, all three sanctioning organizations have already decreed that you must have a rematch with Lewis. So you will still have a chance to regain those titles in the ring.

The only difference is, as a challenger, you might receive less money than Lewis. But you already have plenty of money. And nobody can take that from you.

The only things you can really lose are your honor and your reputation.

And if what you’ve been saying all these years is correct, honor and reputation are the things you value most.

You said you were speaking “the truth,” when you predicted the third-round knockout.

You weren’t.

Speak the truth now and admit you lost, and it’s safe to predict you will score a knockout for the ages with boxing’s historians.

Sincerely,

A boxing fan

QUICK JABS

There will be two title fights Monday night at the Forum. North American Boxing Organization junior-welterweight champion Edgar Ruiz (14-1-1, 10 knockouts) will make his first title defense against Willie Wise (23-5-4, seven knockouts). Also on the card, NABO flyweight titleholder Isidro Garcia (17-1, four knockouts) defends his title for the second time when he faces Antonio Ruiz (18-15-4, eight knockouts). . . . IBF lightweight champion Shane Mosley (31-0, 29 knockouts) returns home to Southern California for a title defense April 17 at Fantasy Springs in Indio against John Brown (19-5, 10 knockouts). The semi-main event may be just as good. It’s a 10-round match between lightweight contenders Angel Manfredy (25-3-1, 19 knockouts) and Ivan Robinson (27-2, 10 knockouts). . . . Roy Jones, holder of the WBC and WBA light-heavyweight titles, and Reggie Johnson, the IBF champion, will meet in for the undisputed championship June 5 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.