How popular was Evander Holyfield...

Well, I'm not saying he's not popular... the thread title is asking how popular Holyfield in general... off course he's popular in boxing world. However, when you're talking about Ali and Tyson for intense, even people who dont like sport let alone boxing, they'd still know them or even watch their fights!

 

He was on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he was a star alright.....

 

The starter of the thread asked " How popular WAS Holyfield in his hayday" and weather or not he was as popular as Tyson at THAT time. I responded to your comment that " he wasn't a household name until he fought Tyson." Growing up around the scene in the 80's and 90's I can tell you that he was a household name long before his first meeting with Tyson in 1996. By the time he and Mike met, Evander was already a former Olympian, two division champion, two time lineal heavyweight champion, multi mega millionaire, victor of several historical super fights, being considered as hall of fame material, and even viewed as well past his prime by the time he and Tyson touched gloves.

 

If I remember correctly, Buster Douglas also had a mega drive game to his name.

Just checked. Yes he did, it was called Final Blow.

 

I remember. Think there was a version of that on Sega or something and only on the market for a few months.

 

Thankyou very much BB. Much appreciated.

 

No probs! Credit where it's due when it comes to posters that know their onions.

 

I remember being in a year 4 classroom debating Holyfield vs Tyson with the whole class.

Can't imagine that same class debating Wilder vs Parker.

 

Maybe because I'm from GA but he was popular as FK for a hot minute

 

Brilliant analysis.You really nailed it

 

Holy was very popular. Everyone watched him in the Olympics, every pro fight on TV leading to a war to win the lt hwt title, then to win the hwt championship. He appealed to a broad section of the population for his work ethic and good guy image.

 

He was extremely popular, a superstar when he beat Tyson. His BOTH fights vs Tyson became legendary.

I was a kid back then and hadn't any internet access. I knew few boxers, Tyson and Holyfield among them.

Holyfield also earned $20-35 millions per fight many times in early-mid and late 90s (in Foreman, Holmes, Bowe 1, Tyson 2, Moorer 2 and Lewis 1 fights he earned $20 millions or more). You can earn such money only if you are a Superstar all over the world.

But in terms of popularity he still was #2 behind Mike Tyson.

Just want to share you a story about Tyson's popularity

You know, here in Ukraine if you ask average person on the street (man or woman) if they know Mike Tyson, they'd say: 'Surely yes! Who doesn't know him!'

Tyson visited Ukraine in 2005. And I have a photo with him. When I show it to anyone, older woman, young girl or middle-aged man, - everybody immediatedly recognizes Iron Mike: 'Wow, that's Tyson!'

Still hadn't met anyone who never heard about Iron Mike

By the way, people who don't follow boxing here in Ukraine, have no clue who Floyd Mayweather is

Ali and Tyson are by far two biggest superstars in boxing ever, and it hardly changes soon.

 

Was he popular? Depends on when you asked that question. Coming up into the heavyweight division, he was a bit of an underdog figure, being so small and all that. Or so it was seen.

Then he won the title and everyone said "yeah fine, but Douglas was fat and unmotivated." Then he defended unimpressively against two guys in their forties and BOTH of them took him the distance, a seemingly unpardonable sin. The only guy he defended against in his first reign that DIDN'T take Geritol was Bert Cooper, a replacement for a replacement, and almost put Holy out, so there were a LOT of questions in his first reign about his worth. He always seemed to play the straight man to the opponent. The other guy was always the story, not him.

That changed some later, but there was a time when he was comsidered kind of a poor champ really.

 

You didn't remember seeing as though you were 4 years old when he was popular.....

 

Buster Douglas Boxing on Sega Genesis