Evan Holyfield - Son of Former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield - Shares Skill Set with Young Boxers

Boxer Evan Holyfield relishes teaching the fundamentals of the Sweet Science, especially to youngsters new to boxing.

Holyfield knows the blend of strategic thinking, technical skill, and tactical prowess punctuating the sport is also in direct contrast to the brute force that draws fans to the ring or television.

So, when Evan, the son of the former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, takes a youngster under his tutelage, it’s a stair-step process beginning with fitness, discipline and sportsmanship, as well as a directive to boxers not to use their fists away from the gym.

The 27-year old Holyfield is prepping in Chicago for a re-launch of his own career, while working out six days a week and teaching youngsters at the Celtic Boxing Club Chicago in Mount Greenwood.

The gym located at 3012 West 111th Street in Chicago, under the direction of long-time youth boxing coach Mike Joyce, charges a beginner’s fee of $100 for grade school students seeking a solid introduction to traditional boxing conditioning and instruction.

On a cool fall evening, while many are watching the Cubs compete in postseason play, Holyfield is putting nine-year old Jessie through drills designed to create endurance, stamina and agility.

“My mom wanted me to come here to learn,” said Jessie. “I can feel I’m getting stronger.”

The oldest child in his family, Jessie likens Evan to a big brother.

Little does he grasp Holyfield belongs to boxing royalty, nor that his big brother figure escaped the clutches of death, yet got off his back to fight again – following cardiac surgery.

At age 25 -- and in the greatest shape of his life and sporting an undefeated record – Holyfield was being betrayed by his own body.

Trying to convince himself that Colorado’s light mountain air and altitude was gassing him or that he needed to train harder, Holyfield kept moving doggedly forward in total denial.

Two weeks from his next fight, Evan was at home in Atlanta when his breathing quickened and his heart raced. He thought it was an anxiety attack. Telling himself to “chill out” he crawled into bed.

“The next morning, I felt like someone was standing on my chest,” said Holyfield, who wisely decided to confide in his mother, Toi Irvin, and his coach.

He told them: “I struggled to breathe last night and felt like something heavy was on my chest. I think I’m dealing with a lot of anxiety around this fight.”

At urgent care, tests revealed that he had a right coronary anomaly, a congenital heart defect in which the coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart is abnormally shaped. The condition can be fatal.

The cardiologist pointed to a spot on a CT scan. It showed Evan how the artery was pinched and restricting the flow of blood.

Looking back now, Holyfield said, he realizes it was sometime after he went 9-0 that his chest pains were surfacing during training and eventually led to his single loss – then a mere glitch in his young career but the frightening result of his body’s most important muscle malfunctioning.

Training daily now with a coronary stent Holyfield likes to refer to as a “metal cage” surrounding a silicone ball the moves up and down to regulate blood flow, the boxer is regaining strength while instilling his fighting spirit in younger athletes.

Holyfield says his fitness level is peaking again. He and Joyce are eyeing his next fight November 1, 2025 at the Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana.

The Celtic Boxing Club Chicago, located at 3012 West 111th Street in Chicago, charges a beginner's fee of $100 for those all ages and levels, including classes and personal training.

To schedule an appointment with Mike Joyce, call 708/227-8425.