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EVANDER HOLYFIELD TO TIP BACK INTO THE RING: ‘Real Deal’ puts suspension behind him; prepares for Aug. 19 bout in Dallas.
*Former four-time heavyweight champion Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, at age 43, will return to the ring on Aug. 19 to fight a 10-round match against Jeremy Bates.
"I'm very excited about it," Holyfield told ESPN.com of the fight scheduled to take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. "Being able to finish what I've started means a lot. I was sidetracked lately, but I am getting back on the path."
It’s been 21 months since the boxer’s last bout, when he lost a unanimous decision to Larry Donald in New York and was subsequently suspended by the New York commission for "poor performance," meaning he couldn't fight anywhere in the United States until the suspension was lifted.
Holyfield, (38-8-2, 25 KOs), protested the suspension, passed a series of medical tests and eventually convinced New York boxing officials to change his suspension from “medical” to “administrative,” which allowed him to seek licenses elsewhere. Last week, Holyfield was granted one in Texas.
