Holyfield Plans To Fight Mandatory Challenger

Wed., March 25, 1998

Associated Press

With a unification bout with Lennox Lewis put off, Evander Holyfield will defend his WBA heavyweight title against Henry Akinwande on June 6 at Madison Square Garden.

“It’s pretty much done, there are just a few little details to work out,” said Marina Capuro of Showtime, which will handle the pay-per-view distribution of the fight. An official announcement is expected Monday.

The fight will be Holyfield’s first since he stopped Michael Moorer on Nov. 8. Holyfield and Lewis had been negotiating to unify the heavyweight title, but when HBO and Holyfield could not agree on the financial terms, that fight was put on the back burner.

Holyfield is expected to earn about $10 million for the Akinwande fight, about what he asked for against Lewis. Akinwande is expected to earn $2.5 million.

Akinwande, 6-foot-7, is the WBA’s mandatory challenger after taking a one-sided decision over Orlin Norris on Dec. 13. Akinwande is 33-1-1, with his only loss coming to Lewis, the WBC champ, last summer when he was disqualified for excessive holding.

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Holyfield Plans To Fight Mandatory Challenger

Jesse Tinsley

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