By Nick Brockman Register-Herald Reporter The Register-Herald
BECKLEY — Since Jim Justice gained control of The Greenbrier, the resort has experienced a sense of rebirth. With Saturday’s “Redemption in America” event featuring a prize fight between Evander Holyfield and Sherman Williams, that theme will continue for both the fighters and the resort.
Justice, owner and CEO, purchased The Greenbrier in 2009 and has helped America’s Resort reach a new level of prestige and esteem with events like the PGA’s Greenbrier Classic and the opening of The Casino Club, but Saturday’s main event is all about two boxers trying to reach the highest level of their sport.
“It’s a terrific honor to just think about having Evander Holyfield and Sherman Williams at The Greenbrier,” Justice said. “I believe it’s the first significant prize fight that’s ever been held there.”
The questions remain though: Why boxing? Why The Greenbrier?
“The answer is real simple: I truly feel The Greenbrier is a national treasure,” Justice said. “It became sleepy and actually, you know, I’ve been pretty critical to say at one time it almost became like an elegant retirement home.
“It has just tradition and history — it’s beyond belief and it is a hidden treasure. When you get there it’s 6,500 acres of every amenity in the world and it’s a really special place, but it needed energy. It needed energy put back into it and so that’s the whole concept of what we’re trying to do. It’s been our strategy and we got people coming out of the woodwork coming and visiting.”
The fight will be special to many but perhaps most special for Holyfield, who has the chance to begin his path to the heavyweight title once again as he said he’s eager to prove his ability.
“First of all, I’m honored to have an opportunity to fight at Greenbrier and given an opportunity to be able to show people at the age of 48 I’m just as good as I was at 38,” Holyfield said.
Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KOs), a four-time world heavyweight champion, will battle Williams ( 34-11-2, 19 KOs) in the 12-round prize fight.
As “The Real Deal,” Holyfield boasts one of boxing’s most well-known names and stories, but Williams said he’s ready to make his own with a solid fight.
“I respect Evander as the champion and all that he is and all that he has accomplished,” Williams said. “I think this is going to make for a very exciting fight. I feel good. I’m in shape and ready to rumble.”
Williams said much has been made of Holyfield’s rugged warrior reputation, but he’s got plenty of tenacity, too.
“Evander is a tough guy,” Williams said. “I’m a tough cookie as well. I ain’t no pushover.”
Williams said he’s mentally and spiritually prepared as well as physically sharp, ready to fight any style to win.
“Whatever it takes to do, to accomplish what I need to get done is what I’m willing to do,” he said. “Evander has been around the block a few times. His goal is to once again become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and I’m just in it to get where he was, so it takes a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of a commitment and it definitely takes a strong mind and a strong spirit and I’m equipped. I feel like I got what it takes to go out on Saturday and put up a heluva fight.”
Besides the two boxers in the ring, another touted fighter will be in attendance in Mike Tyson. It’s been more than 13 years since Tyson infamously bit Holyfield’s ear during a fight between the two.
“We speak to each other,” Holyfield said of his relationship with Tyson. “It’s not bad, though, you know.”
Holyfield added it’s nice to have the support of Tyson and others in attendance to see if he can still compete at age 48.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first of six undercard fights to begin at 7 p.m. The fight will distributed by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 p.m. on iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network for $29.95.
Justice said packages and tickets are still available for purchase at www.greenbrier.com. Deadline to book reservations is Friday.
By Nick Brockman
— E-mail: nbrockman@register-herald.com
Evander Holyfield se hace cargo de Nueva York Continue reading on Examiner.com: Evander Holyfield se hace cargo de Nueva York - Nacional de Boxeo | Examiner.com
El legendario boxeador Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield (43-10-2, con 28 nocauts) se encontraba en Nueva York hoy para promocionar su próxima pelea de pay-per-view para este sábado contra Sherman "El Tanque" Williams (34 a 11 -2, con 19 nocauts). The heavyweight fight will be contested at the historic Greenbrier Resort's Colonial Hall in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. La pelea de peso pesado que se disputará en el Colonial de la histórica estación de Greenbrier Hall en White Sulphur Springs, Virginia Occidental.
Holyfield's appearance included a public workout before a large crowd at Church Street Boxing Gym as well as a television interview with Fox New York where he spoke about how he always takes care of himself and is never out of shape. aparición de Holyfield incluyen un entrenamiento público antes de una gran multitud en la iglesia de la calle Gimnasio de Boxeo, así como una entrevista televisiva con Fox en Nueva York, donde habló acerca de cómo él siempre cuida de sí mismo y nunca fuera de forma.
When the 48 year-old former heavyweight champion was asked about whether his advanced age should be considered a major concern, he emphasized conditioning will be his key to victory. Cuando los 48 años de edad, ex campeón se le preguntó acerca de si su avanzada edad se debe considerar una gran preocupación, subrayó acondicionado será su clave para la victoria.
“Well, if you take care of yourself, it's easy to maintain and rebuild,” said Holyfield. "Bueno, si usted toma el cuidado de sí mismo, es fácil de mantener y reconstruir", dijo Holyfield.
“And the fact is with the technology today, you train better, things are better, so why shouldn't your health be better?” "Y el hecho es que con la tecnología hoy en día, a entrenar mejor, las cosas están mejor, así que ¿por qué no su salud será mejor?"
In regards to his 38 year-old opponent Sherman Williams, when asked what Holyfield needed to watch for, his response was, “Well, I don't know, he needs to watch for me.” En lo que respecta a sus 38 años de edad oponente Sherman Williams, cuando se le preguntó lo que Holyfield necesarios para observar, su respuesta fue: "Bueno, no sé, tiene que ver por mí."
As far as his motivation for taking this fight in the first place is concerned, Evander Holyfield was steadfast about his goal to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world again. En cuanto a su motivación por participar en esta lucha, en primer lugar se refiere, Evander Holyfield se mantuvo firme sobre su objetivo de convertirse en campeón indiscutible de peso pesado del mundo otra vez.
Fact is he set this goal back in 1992 after losing his championship to Riddick Bowe and has been working to regain the fame and fortune that comes with being undisputed heavyweight champion ever since, but now approaching the half century mark in terms of age, Holyfield's dream seems more farfetched than ever. El hecho es que establecer esta meta en 1992 después de perder su campeonato a Riddick Bowe y ha estado trabajando para recuperar la fama y la fortuna que viene con ser el campeón indiscutible de peso pesado desde entonces, pero ahora se acerca la marca de medio siglo en términos de edad, Holyfield sueño parece más inverosímil que nunca.
Yes, he was correct in his interview by alluding to proper diet and enhanced training methods combining to allow boxers to fight longer and more productively in the ring than ever before, but there was one important thing Evander Holyfield failed to mention. Sí, estaba en lo cierto en su entrevista, haciendo alusión a una dieta adecuada y métodos más eficaces de formación se combinan para permitir que los boxeadores de lucha más larga y más productiva en el anillo más que nunca, pero había una cosa importante Evander Holyfield no se menciona.
Guys like Bernard Hopkins and Evander Holyfield have been able to compete in boxing at a highly competitive level for so long not just because they take care of themselves, but also because they are so superiorly talented. Tipos como Bernard Hopkins y Evander Holyfield han sido capaces de competir en el boxeo a un nivel muy competitivo durante tanto tiempo no sólo porque cuidar de sí mismos, sino también porque son tan talentosos superiormente. These men have literally forgotten more about boxing than many of the current contenders and prospects know, so their experience against A+ level talent over the years definitely comes into play, allowing them to overcome much younger foes. Estos hombres han olvidado, literalmente, más de boxeo que muchos de los competidores actuales y prospectos, por lo que su experiencia contra el talento de nivel A + en los últimos años sin duda entra en juego, lo que les permite superar los enemigos mucho más joven.
Although it does not seem as though he will ever get a title shot from either one of the Klitschko brothers at this point in his career, never count Evander Holyfield out. Aunque no parece como si nunca recibirá una oportunidad por el título de uno de los hermanos Klitschko en este momento de su carrera, nunca contar con Evander Holyfield a cabo. From having to overcome a size deficit when he began fighting professionally at heavyweight, to being categorized as a “shot” fighter multiple times, he has always found a way to persevere. De tener que remontar una desventaja de tamaño cuando se comenzó a luchar profesionalmente en el peso pesado, de ser clasificado como un momento "inyección" de combate múltiple, siempre ha encontrado la forma de perseverar.
Seeing today's crop of heavyweights must give him more confidence than ever that he can remain a relevant player, and he may be right, but breaking through the Klitschko ceiling at the top of the division will be one tall order for any heavyweight boxer, much less an undersized, 48 year-old version of one a once exceptionally great fighter. cultivos hoy ver de pesos pesados que darle más confianza que nunca de que puede seguir siendo un actor relevante, y puede que tenga razón, pero rompiendo el techo de Klitschko en la parte superior de la división será una tarea difícil para cualquier boxeador de peso pesado, y mucho menos uno inferior, de 48 años de edad, la versión de una vez con carácter excepcional un gran luchador.
José Bourelly
* Boxing Examiner Boxeo Examinador
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Evander Holyfield se hace cargo de Nueva York - Nacional de Boxeo |
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