Holyfield summons power

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997 | 10:55 a.m.

His smile never disappeared.

It was there for all to see and its presence wasn't contingent upon the activities around him.

Evander Holyfield appeared to be enjoying himself and, perhaps, relishing his newfound role as boxing's shining star -- if not its savior.

If his outlook at the final prefight press conference was any indication, the WBA heavyweight champion is a contented man as he prepares for Michael Moorer. They're fighting Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, with Moorer equalling Holyfield's risk by putting his IBF heavyweight championship on the line.

"I enjoy what I'm doing," Holyfield said Wednesday at The Mirage. "I get my strength from above."

As if they were attempting to share in that strength or perhaps steal a bit of it, almost every fighter on the T&M undercard made it a point to stop, acknowledge and shake hands with Holyfield after each was called to the podium. He greeted all of his fellow fighters cordially and with a warming graciousness.

In boxing these days, he is The Man.

"I'm the man I am because I've overcome," Holyfield said. "I work. I'm a hard worker. And I'm a winner.

"Winners are people who prepare themselves properly."

If preparation is a legitimate yardstick, Holyfield feels he's ready for a fight and the tricky southpaw who defeated him by decision in 1994. It's a rematch that finds Holyfield refreshed, on the upswing and generally revered by the public -- a trio of pluses new to a man of 35.

Consecutive wins over Mike Tyson put Holyfield in the limelight and he, in turn, has shifted that attention toward his belief in God and the value of good deeds. Tonight, for example, he's appearing at Cashman Field for a religious rally that could draw 15,000 spectators.

"Our purpose in life is to help others," Holyfield said, adding his wife Janice to the equation. "A lot of people wonder why I don't buck under pressure but it's because I have strength in the Lord.

"My success comes from above."

Bettors have joined the flock and Holyfield is a --260 favorite for a fight that will pay him $20 million. Moorer, who is receiving $8 million, is a +240 underdog.

The primary round prop is 9 1/2.

"It's going to be a tough fight," Holyfield said. "He earned his way here and I earned my way here. You're only as good as the people you've fought and I've fought them all except Lennox Lewis."

A match with Lewis, the WBC champion, could await the winner if the HBO vs. Showtime rivalry can be temporarily set aside.

Holyfield said his earlier loss to Moorer is inconsequential this time around.

"I'm here to say I didn't make any excuses," he said. "I said Michael Moorer beat me and I never, ever put him down. He was a better man than I was last time.

"That first fight I didn't give my all and I felt sorry for myself. But I've gotten better each and every year.

"I'm more powerful. I can change. I'm able to adapt."

Holyfield, 34-3 with 24 knockouts, lost three of six fights in a three-year stretch that culminated in November of '95. Until reversing his career with the wins over Tyson, it appeared as if he was through as a major-league fighter.

Now he's more influential than ever.

"They say a Christian has to finish last," Holyfield said. "But I've proved that doesn't have to be true.

"What I need to do now is step forward and do what I have to do. I've prepared myself to win."

Armed with that reassurance, he appears pleasant and robust. He's smiling as if he's ready, as if the harvest is already in the barn with winter approaching.