Odds on Who Evander Holyfield Will Fight in Potential Comeback

At age 57, Evander Holyfield is talking comeback. Photo by Shelka04 (wikimedia commons).

• Odds are out on Evander Holyfield’s comeback opponent
• Who will Holyfield fight and will it happen this year?
• Check out the odds, analysis, and predictions below
  

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After close to a decade out of the ring, Evander Holyfield’s comeback is in motion. The two-weight champion has been mapping out a return to the ring for the last several months.

The 57-year-old wants to raise money for some great charitable causes and also get a taste for in-ring competition once more. The prevailing questions that remain are who will his opponent be and when will the fight take place. Sportsbooks have posted odds on both.

Odds on Holyfield’s Comeback Opponent

Odds taken August 25.

Why Is Riddick Bowe the Favorite?

It’s understandable why Bowe is listed as the favorite considering the history between him and Holyfield. They fought each other three times and carved out one of the best heavyweight series that you’ll ever see.

Part three of their trilogy took place in November of 1995 with Bowe scoring the TKO. Riddick Bowe is 53 years old opposite Evander Holyfield’s 57.

The odds are also informed by the fact that Bowe leads the series with Holyfield 2-1. There’s a redemptive element for Holyfield and a competitive incentive for him to get back in the ring with Bowe. In recent interviews, Bowe has indicated an interest in another Holyfield bout as well.

Klitschko’s Long Odds Are Warranted

The reason that Wladimir Klitschko is the least likely candidate is because of the present-day training dynamic that the two have. Holyfield has been photographed working out with Klitschko pretty extensively as part of this comeback camp.

Two legends of the sport of boxing ????

Evander Holyfield and Wladimir Klitschko ???? pic.twitter.com/8IH8FWvXtV

— Boxing Exposure (@Boxing_Exposure) July 21, 2020

Also, a key aspect of Klitschko’s odds here is the fact that he hasn’t publicly indicated an interest in a comeback.

That’s also why Lennox Lewis’ odds are nearly as long. Both he and Klitschko seem comfortably retired as of this juncture.

Holyfield vs Tyson Trilogy?

Without a confirmed opponent, Holyfield has still been diligently working to be ready for whenever he has to be.

Tyson’s odds here are pretty understandable considering that “Iron Mike” has mapped out a comeback path in his own right. The reason his odds aren’t even better is that Tyson is slated to fight against Roy Jones Jr in fall 2020.

The initial goal was to do that bout in September, but Tyson vs Jones Jr has been repositioned for November, and some are pontificating it may not happen. If Roy Jones Jr does end up dropping out, as he sort of teased at one point when the bout timeline changed, perhaps the Tyson vs Holyfield trilogy could come to fruition. In the end, I think Bowe will be Holyfield’s comeback opponent.

Odds on Holyfield Fighting in 2020

Ultimately, I don’t think that Holyfield will end up competing in some form of exhibition bout before the calendar year wraps up. A few big-name prizefighters have been biding their time during the COVID-19 era of no fans in attendance. Many fighters who draw in huge live gates are missing out on a sizeable portion of the paychecks they would ordinarily garner.

I could see Holyfield being patient and waiting for a live event, even if it’s one with a reduced capacity.

The reason I theorize this is because Holyfield has expressly stated wanting to really help out some worthwhile charities with these comeback bouts. He would presumably want to optimize his earnings and garner the most possible cash. I think with all these factors considered, we see Evander Holyfield’s comeback sometime in 2021.

MMA