During an interview with Fight Hype, trainer John David Jackson talks about his work with Evander Holyfield as he prepares him for his September 11 fight against Vitor Belfort. Jackson says that while Belfort may pack some power, he doesn’t have the real boxing prowess to cause much concern for Holyfield. Check out some of what Jackson had to say below.
On training Evander Holyfield for his comeback
“My thing was to get his muscle memory back and make him do the things he wanted to do, the best he could do, now. And it was an easy transition for us because he knows the game and I don’t have to teach him anything new.
“To fight at this stage of your life, which is not a thing that most people should do, but a gentleman like himself, it’s what he does best and what he loves.”
On what we can expect to see from Holyfield in this fight
“We’ll get a new Evander, whatever Evander brings to the ring is what we’re gonna get. As far as his opponent’s concerned, he can punch a little bit — ain’t no real boxing skill but he has a little bit of power. Evander’s been hit by some big bombers and never been knocked out, been stopped a couple times. So Vitor, I’m not really underestimating him…For us, we’re just making sure Evander’s prepared physically, and mentally he’s always prepared, and just make sure he does what he’s supposed to do fight night.
“If Vitor decides to come at Evander it might be a short evening because his chin is suspect — I’m not really gonna say really suspect but he’s been knocked out a few times. So if he comes to fight he makes it easy for us, if he runs then we got a problem.”