Holyfield plans fresh approach in rematch

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 | 10:07 a.m.

It wasn't only the crowd at the Paris Las Vegas that felt Evander Holyfield was looking old if not infirm, the fighter himself realized it.

When Holyfield took on John Ruiz last August, critics said he was looking his age (38) and exhibiting signs of having been a pro since 1984.

Holyfield thought the same thing when he went back and watched a tape of the fight, which he eventually won by decision.

"I was so embarrassed," he said during a conference call touting his rematch with Ruiz, which will be held March 3 at Mandalay Bay. "I asked myself why I could not move and why I was so off-balance. I could not get off on this guy. I felt really old."

He said there will not be a repeat performance.

"I guarantee it will be a good fight," he said. "It will be quite different. This fight shouldn't come to a decision.

"I'm going to put a lot of pressure on him and hopefully take him out a lot sooner."

Holyfield remains a slight betting favorite for a fight that will have his World Boxing Association title at stake. He's training in Houston and is expected to arrive in Las Vegas early next week.

"I still have skills and believe I can reach my goals," he said, pointing toward his desire to once again become the undisputed heavyweight champion. "The only reason we are having this fight is because he felt he got robbed, and I'm willing to give him an opportunity. But I owe it to the people to give a better fight."

Holyfield is 37-4-1 with 25 knockouts in a storied career.

Ruiz is 36-4 with 27 KOs and feeling confident after coming close to beating Holyfield the first time. Their initial fight was scored in Holyfield's favor by 4, 1 and 1 points by the judges.

"Johnny is an awkward fighter," Holyfield said. "He can do a lot of things in this fight but I'm still going to win.

"I've studied him."

He may not have the first time around.

"He fought hard and he did more than he was expected to," Holyfield said. "I beat him but I was expected to knock him out and I did not. I wasn't comfortable with his style and he did what was necessary to make the fight look competitive."

It looked competitive enough that the WBA -- and not just Ruiz -- thought there should be a rematch.

"I am not old," Holyfield said in his defense. "Age is just a number. If I am so old, then beat me up. I have not faced anyone that can beat me up."

Yet he knows he can't go on forever.

"Yes, I see the end of the road soon, but I have a goal," he said, once again professing to believe that he can not only get past Ruiz but WBC and IBF champion Lennox Lewis if given the chance.

"It appears that nobody wants to bring up my name when talking about who should fight him," Holyfield said of Lewis, who he has faced twice. "Other than Mike Tyson, it appears as if everybody thinks that nobody else can come close to Lennox."

Holyfield feels Tyson would defeat Lewis if they met.

"I think that Tyson has the perfect style for Lewis," he said. "Tyson is very explosive and he likes a guy that is reserved. If I had to bet on styles, I would go with Tyson to win the fight."

With his fight against Ruiz only a few days away, Holyfield said he is in ideal condition.

"I'm in great shape," he said. "I'm not really doing anything different (from the last fight) but I should be in better condition and better spirits.

"I don't do a lot of things everybody else does. I have never been called a heavy drinker or go out all the time, although I like to go out dancing. My weight doesn't fluctuate too much.

"People will appreciate me more when I'm done. I fight the best fighters and have always fought the toughest fighters. I chose the best fighters and do not fight weak fighters like some of these other guys."