Knowing When to Hang It Up

Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, even the legendary Muhammad Ali, great boxers aren’t always great decision makers when it comes to closing out their career. Enter the 46-year old Evander Holyfield, past the point of wondering whether his best days are behind him, yet still taking shots to the head even at an advanced age. Yes, Holyfield’s head is notoriously hard, just ask the aforementioned Tyson, who was so frustrated by headbutts he turned The Real Deal’s right ear into a real meal. However, in his advanced age, perhaps even more prevailing is Holyfield’s hardheadedness in regards to calling it quits and leaving the ring in graceful manner.Already owning the Heavyweight title a record 4 times, not only is a 5^th unlikely, but unnecessary. Holyfield has nothing left to prove. The man who has gone toe to toe and gotten the better of the likes of George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Riddick Bowe, quite simply has no business slumming around with fighters like Sherman “Tank” Williams well into his 4^th decade, much less looking overmatched. (more…)