Evander Holyfield on Sparring Mike Tyson at 22: I was Never Scared of Him (Part 2)

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Evander Holyfield shared a unique perspective about his childhood boxing journey. At age 12, Holyfield fought a white opponent named Cecil, assuming he would be an easy win. To his surprise, Cecil beat him. Holyfield later admitted to trying to avoid fighting him again, revealing that he had cried after losing. However, his mother inspired him to keep going, encouraging him not to quit. Even when he lost again to Cecil, he didn't give up. He eventually won against Cecil at the Junior Olympics and continued his successful boxing career to become the Southeastern regional champion by the age of 15. Holyfield spoke of his growth spurt, increasing from 5’8” and 147 pounds post-high school to a peak of 6’2” inch with a weight of 171 pounds. He also talked about his childhood experience with boxing Mike Tyson and how his mom's resilience lessons helped him become a successful boxing star.