Evander Holyfield was born on October 19, 1962 in Atmore, Alabama. He would later move to Atlanta at the age of two. He started his boxing career in 1974. The next year he would qualify for the junior olympics. At 15 he would win the Southeastern Regional Championship. At 20 he won a silver medal in the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuala. At 20 he would win the national golden gloves and a bronze medal in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. His bronze medal was award as he was disqualified for hitting his opponent and knocking them out when the referee was breaking them up.

His first win as a pro came as a light-heavywieght over Lionel Byarm in 1984. After more wins he would mover up to cruiserweight the next year. He would fight many matches at this stage and soon be given the world title match against Dwight Muhammad Qawi. He would win his first championship against Qawi in a fifteen round split decision, Holyfield would also win a rematch later. In 1987 he would unify his WBA and IBF belts by defeating Ricky Parkey. In 1988 he would gain the world cruiserweight championship title from Carlos De Leon.

His first fight as a heavyweight would come against James Tillis who he would defeat by knockout. He would also beat former heavyweight champions Pinklon Thomas and Michael Dokes. By 1990 Holyfield was the number one contender for the Heavyweight belt. Although he was promised by Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship belt, Mike Tyson was defeated by James Douglas in Tokyo and this would be Holyfield's first title fight instead. Holyfield would defeat Douglas by unanimous decision shortly after and become World Champion for the first time. His first defense of his title would be against George Foreman, who he would beat and win by unanimous decision.

Although a fight was announced in 1991 for him to defend his title against Mike Tyson it did not happen that year. Mike Tyson was shortly charged with rape and served three years in prison. In 1996 and 1997, Holyfield would defeat Tyson, with the second match remembered always as Tyson lost by disqualification for biting both of Holyfield's ears. After more wins he would face a 42 year old Larry Holmes and defeat him in unanimous decision. He would soon face olympic silver medalist Riddick Bowe who would win in a 12 round unanimous decision, this would be Holyfield's first defeat and his loss of the heavyweight championship title. In his rematch, a man would come down in a parachute during the middle of the fight dubbing this fight "The Fan Man Fight". Holyfield would defeat Bowe and regain his championship title.

Next year in 1994, he would lose his title to Michael Moorer. He would win against Ray Mercer. He would lose again against Riddick Bowe although, in what became they're third and final fight. In 1998 he would win in a rematch against Michael Moorer to unify his WBA and IBF belts for a second time.

Many people wanted Holyfield to unify his belts with the WBC world championship which was held at the time by Lennox Lewis. They fought the match, but it was decided a draw. The WBA, IBF and WBC ordered a rematch and this time Lennox won win by unanimous decision. Lennox Lewis would be stripped of his WBA belt after failing to show up to fight fighter John Ruiz. John Ruiz would lose his first match to Holyfield, win his second match and the third match would be a draw. After Lewis was again stripped of a belt, this time by the IBF. Holyfield and Chris Byrd would have to fight, but Byrd won after a 12 round unanimous decision.

After three loses (Chris Byrd, James Toney and Larry Donald) he won go on a string of consecutive wins. Eventually challenging for a fifth championship title against Sultan Ibragimov in October 2007. He would lose this match, buy vows to this day to have one more championship. In total he would have 53 fights, 42 wins, 27 wins by way of knockout, 9 losses and 2 draws.