Holyfield faces Nielsen, hopes for another title
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At the age of 48, Evander Holyfield won't give up on his hopes of regaining the world heavyweight title.
The former undisputed champion resumes his longshot quest Saturday when he takes on Denmark's 46-year-old Brian Nielsen in a non-title bout in the Danish capital.
"My goal is to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world ... again," Holyfield (43-10-2) said.
In his last ring appearance, Holyfield was cut above the left eye by an accidental head butt in his fight with Sherman Williams in January. The bout was ruled a no-contest.
This time, trainer Tommy Brooks predicts Holyfield will beat Nielsen in two rounds.
"I think Evander is in a much better shape than (Nielsen) is in and we're going to take advantage of that," Brooks said. "The first mistake he makes, we're going to capitalise on that."
Holyfield, who held the world title four times, remained more cautious.
"I am going out to give my very best," he said. "I'll take one round at the time. Anything is possible."
However, he added: "if you hit people with a clean shot, people will fall."
The bout at the 2,100-seat Copenhagen Concert Hall was initially set for March 5 but was postponed to give Holyfield more time to recover from an injury.
"I have no problems at all. I have a scar that is all. I don't feel any pain," Holyfield said.
Nielsen (64-2, 43 KOs) is a highly popular figure in Denmark, where he is affectionately known as ‘Super Brian.’ He acknowledged that Holyfield was the favourite but promised the fight won't be a walkover.
"I know that he will be really tough to beat, but he won't meet someone who will throw himself onto the floor before him," said Nielsen, who lost 44 pounds for his first fight after nine years in retirement. "I will fight until I cannot stand up any longer."
Nielsen has been through a tough year.
Beside spending eight months in an intensive training camp in Germany away from his family, his wife Jeannette gave birth to twins while battling breast cancer. In March, Nielsen's 24-year-old son from a previous relationship, Steffen, was sentenced to 10 months in jail for assault.
"I feel ready, I can do it," Nielsen said.
Nielsen last fought in 2002 and retired soon after because of a knee injury.
The Dane won the lightly regarded IBO title in 1996 when he stopped Tony La Rosa in the second round. He also ended 47-year-old former champion Larry Holmes' hopes of winning another belt in a successful title defense a year later.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland said all but ‘some 200’ tickets have been sold for the fight. Ticket prices range from 1,500 kroner ($299) to 4,500 kroner ($896).
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