Sports & Fitness

Former boxing champion Evander Holyfield takes on Vitor Belfort after De La Hoya tests positive

58-year-old heavyweight boxer will face Brazilian mixed martial arts star after former boxing great is forced out of one-off comeback bout

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 07 Sep 2021 9:00PM

Former boxing champion Evander Holyfield takes on Vitor Belfort after De La Hoya tests positive — After the proposed bout with Kevin McBride failed to materialise earlier this year, former heavyweight world champion, Evander Holyfield (pictured above) − seen here during a World Boxing Association heavyweight title match in 2008 − posted on Instagram in August that he'd been 'training hard for months' and added: 'I promise my fans I will step back in the ring at least one more time before I lay my gloves to rest for good' − AFP pic, September 7, 2021

LOS ANGELES − Evander Holyfield will step in to face Vitor Belfort on Saturday after former boxing great, Oscar De La Hoya, was forced out of a one-off comeback bout because of Covid-19.

But the bout has been moved from Los Angeles' Staples Centre to Florida after California boxing authorities refused to sanction a battle between Brazilian mixed martial arts star, Vitor, and former heavyweight world champion, Evander − who will be a month shy of his 59th birthday on fight night.

Evander, who had signed on to fight Kevin McBride earlier this year, hasn't fought since 2011 and looks to have a possible fight against his old nemesis Mike Tyson sometime in the future.

After the proposed fight with Kevin failed to materialise, Evander posted on Instagram in August that he'd been "training hard for months" and added: "I promise my fans I will step back in the ring at least one more time before I lay my gloves to rest for good." – AFP, September 7, 2021