Holyfield Turns Even Nonbelievers Into His Followers

… VII. Thou shalt not steal.

VIII. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

IX. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.

X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.

XI. Thou shalt not doubt Evander Holyfield.

It was seven months ago when this addendum to the commandments was engraved, shortly after Holyfield left Mike Tyson crumpled in a Las Vegas ring corner. It was supposed to happen like that, only the crumpled one was expected to be Holyfield.

“Coming into the first fight, I truly believed,” the new heavyweight champ said the other day, “but other people didn’t believe I believed.”

For the record, I believed Holyfield believed. I just believed like most others that he didn’t have a chance of realizing his belief. If I had, I would have plunked down a few C-notes on him with the odds so heavily stacked against him.

Never again, however, will doubt be cast upon Holyfield from this corner. I leave that to the nonbelievers who’ve already made him the underdog against Tyson once more.

Imagine that.

As far as I’m concerned, Holyfield could waddle into his rematch with Tyson on Saturday looking like one of those inflatable sumo wrestlers they roll out between hockey periods and I wouldn’t predict he would waddle out anything less than the winner. There could be two men waiting for him between the ropes - plus Tyson - and I wouldn’t say he’d walk out anything less than victorious.

Tyson said the MGM Grand arena where they will battle again is sold out because everyone wants to see him do his thing. At this juncture, however, I think it may well be sold out because everyone wants to see if Holyfield can pull off one more apparent miracle. We are talking about a fellow who has only turned out to be one of the more remarkable heavyweight champions of all time.

For starters, God didn’t make Holyfield a heavyweight. Holyfield made himself one. He piled at least 30 pounds onto his frame to be able to fight the biggest, strongest boxers in the world. He didn’t do it at the nearest burger joint, or wait until age thickened his body gradually. He did it in the weight room.

Then, he not only fought bigger, stronger men, he beat them, too. In fact, he beat the best of the biggest, strongest men around.

Riddick Bowe.

George Foreman.

Tyson.

Amazing.

He’s 34-3 with 24 knockouts and wears the heavyweight crown again, the one he knocked off Tyson’s noggin.

Holyfield didn’t look as though he’d be able to do what he did. He looked to be close to retirement before he finally stepped between the ropes to toe up with Tyson.

He’d lost half his fights before meeting Tyson. He’d lost his heavyweight titles, too, to a not-so-great puncher named Michael Moorer. He’d struggled to deflate blown-up cruiserweight Bobby Czyz.

He’d even been told he shouldn’t fight anymore. For health reasons. He’d been diagnosed with a hole in his heart, which, ironically, was said to be the most formidable part of his game.

It wasn’t until a faith healer pronounced the devout pugilist healed that he decided to make a date with the thought-to-be indomitable Tyson.

“God was on my side,” Holyfield said more than once.

Tyson may have slipped up against Buster Douglas, but it wasn’t thought he’d allow himself to slip up again. Unless, of course, it was with the law.

In short, though, Holyfield looked as ready to take on Tyson as Pee Wee Herman.

“They thought it was talk,” Holyfield said of nonbelievers like me who listened to his chatter about his faith being on his side last November. “Now, they pretty much believe I can win, and I will win.”

Tyson can argue with Holyfield. So, too, can those in his outrageous entourage. They can say that rusted Iron Mike wasn’t prepared for his initial bout with Holyfield. They can say the former champion didn’t take the old champion seriously. They can talk themselves into a Tyson comeback against Holyfield.

I can’t see it. I’ve seen the light.

“The whole thing comes down to being able to prove yourself on even the days when you feel bad,” Holyfield said. “Whether it was a good day or a bad day, I made the bad day for him.

“It’s about skills,” the champ said. “It’s about knowledge of the game. I think I have knowledge of the game to be able to do it again.”

Believe you me, he does.