Evander Holyfield Reflects on His Debut Cover for The Ring

In an exclusive conversation with Ready to Fight, legendary American heavyweight Evander Holyfield shared his thoughts on the influence of Turki Alalshikh—head of the General Entertainment Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—on modern boxing, as well as his acquisition of the oldest boxing publication, The Ring.

– How does it feel to be here with Lennox, Canelo, and other great boxers? And what is your view of what Turki Alalshikh has done for boxing?

– You see, that’s the most important thing—that’s why I’m here. The point is, this organization wants to help boxing, to make it better. And I think…I think I’m very happy Turki decided to do this. It’s fantastic.

– And The Ring magazine is such an important institution, right?

– Yes, because it really matters. I first landed on its cover when I became the world heavyweight champion. I was just incredibly happy. I thought, ‘When am I finally going to appear on it?’ And then, in 1990, it happened.

On January 11 in London, UK, The Ring magazine held its annual awards ceremony. You can find the full list of winners in all categories via the link provided.