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Message of Light Shines Through Dark Sport
The inscription on the baseball-style cap reads “Jesus is Lord”.
Similar hats have been worn by thousands of people proudly proclaiming their faith in Jesus Christ, and each in some way may have made a difference for their Lord. Naturally the more visible the hat, the more visible the message becomes.
Maybe it will be seen by a young boy in Africa, an old man in the Bronx, or a single mother in Northern Saskatchewan. Perhaps they will notice, perhaps they’ll wonder, perhaps they’ll ask for an explanation.
When two-time heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield prepared for his pre-fight weigh-in with current WBA Champion, Mike Tyson, he knew the media would capture the moment for all the world to see.
Flexing his well-developed muscles and flashing his familiar ear-to-ear grin, it was nearly impossible to miss the “Jesus is Lord” hat atop Holyfield’s head as he stepped onto the scales.
Evangelism via a brutal sport like boxing? Certainly on the surface it's a sport which seems to be diametrically opposed to the Christian message. After all, the Bible says to love one another, not beat one another up. Surely God couldn't condone such brutality, could He?
According to Evander Holyfield He not only condones it, He blesses it. Holyfield claims God healed him of a heat ailment (a non-compliant ventricle or a stiff heart) which had forced him to retire in April, 1994 after a 12 round loss to Michael Moorer. Why? So he could come back and fight again. Tests at the Mayo Clinic in December, 1994 confirmed that some sort of supernatural healing did take place. Holyfield was subsequently granted a clean bill of health and a green light to return to the ring.
Return to the ring he did, on November 9th, winning ‘sports most coveted prize’ in a shocking upset over the heavily favored and seemingly invincible “Iron” Mike Tyson.
“Can you believe it? Do you believe it?” shouted the stunned television commentator at the conclusion of the fight. Indeed, the result was a shocker to just about everyone buy Holyfield and his Lord.
Prior to the fight Holyfield knew what people were thinking. “They’ve been saying that there’s no way I’m going to beat Tyson at the weakest point of my career, but when you are weak, the Lord is strong,” said Holyfield.
“This thing is more than a fight. This is what the Lord has in store for me.” Holyfield became only the second man in history to win the heavyweight championship title three times(along with Muhammad Ali) by scoring an 11th round TKO over Tyson.
Prayer was a major part of Holyfield’s strategy for fighting Tyson, a formidable boxer who puts many fighters away in the first round. “I prayed during training, I prayed when I got into the ring, I prayed when I was fighting him,” Holyfield said.
On many occasions Holyfield has said, “Boxing is 90 percent spiritual and 10 % physical.”
“It’s the spiritual aspect that gives the edge and an extra burst of energy to draw from. My victories are not achieved by my might, nor by my power, but by the Spirit of Christ who strengthens me.”
After the fight the interviewer for the television network broadcasting the fight to 147 countries, wanted Holyfield to talk about the night “apart from religion.” But “apart from religion,” there’s not much in the new champ’s life. A Christian since he was a young boy, Holyfield proceeded to praise Jesus for the victory, and to proclaim to millions that his God was the only true God. The latter may have been a reference to Mike Tyson’s Muslim convictions.
“I was led by the Spirit. Everybody though I was washed up, but with God, I wasn’t washed up,” says Holyfield, again wearing his Jesus is Lord cap for the cameras.
Inscribed on Holyfield's boxing robe and shorts is “Phil. 4:13,” the scripture verse that states: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He also adds the reference to his autographs. Holyfield knew that since God can do all things, winning the world heavyweight championship wasn’t a leap of faith.
In the end the belt belonged to Holyfield but the glory belonged to God. He provided Evander Holyfield with the skill and determination to succeed at boxing. He also provided a platform for the gospel to reach the world.
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Evander Holyfield: The Humble Warrior
Now that Evander Holyfield is back on top of the boxing world, more people will likely be interested in reading his biography, Holyfield: the Humble Warrior, which came out early in 1996. It tells the story of his life prior to his return to active boxing.
Written by his brother Bernard, Holyfield’s heart-warming rags-to-riches story is told with a heavy emphasis on the Christian faith of his entire family. The youngest of eight children, Holyfield was raised without a dad by his mother and grandmother.
His mother worked two jobs to provide for the family. Her hard work and determination had a huge impact on Evander. His wise and very spiritual grandmother was also very influential on him; she'd tell him, “God didn’t give you all these gifts so you can sit on them and be lazy.” Soon those family traits of hard work and dedication would show themselves in his life and his boxing career.
Growing up he was considered small for his age. But “Chubby” (as he was nick-named) learned early on that all things are possible with God.
At just eight years of age, already excelling in organized football, young Holyfield was intrigued by the boys who were boxing at the Atlanta Boys Athletic Club which he attended.
Wandering in, Holyfield noticed the speed bag hanging above his head. He propelled his arm toward the bag....and missed.
Carter Morgan, the pudgy while boxing coach of the club, noticed the boy’s efforts and told him to get lost, but Holyfield wasn’t ready to quit. Pointing up to the dangling bag, he shouted back, “I wanna hit it!”
Holyfield wasn't deterred when Morgan told him you had to be tough to be a boxer. He returned the next day, his attention still focused on hitting the speed bag saying; “I wanna hit that bag!,” Some of his Mama’s determination was starting to show itself.
Morgan steered him instead to the heavy bag. He figured a few hits on the unforgiving object would undoubtedly send the boy on his way for good. While that probably would be the case with most kids, it wasn’t with Evander Holyfield. He didn’t leave and convinced the old man to let him try out for the boxing team. The coaches were impressed by the kid’s spirit and accepted him onto the team.
Although he was now involved in the “big bad sport of boxing,” Holyfield was truly a nice kid. So nice, in fact, that he hated to see his opponents lose, since usually they’d cry in defeat. Convinced by his coaches that he’d be the one doing the losing and thus the crying if he didn’t apply himself, he got more serious and thick-skinned about winning.
Although he has won most of his fights, along the way, both as an amateur and as a professional, Holyfield lost some pivotal matches. They said he couldn’t win “the big one.”
After a couple of major defeats he contemplated quitting the sport, but it was encouragement from his grandmother and spiritual mentor “to keep pressing on in Christ” that quashed such thoughts. The wheelchair-bound mentor told him: “I didn't raise no quitter!”
Throughout the book his close personal relationship with Jesus is shared. Early in life Holyfield learned the power of prayer and turns to it often. On several occasions prayer has seen him through tough bouts and difficult situations. When the chips were down, whether in a fight or in his personal life (he struggled with a divorce, a business failure and the accidental killing of his older brother) God has always been Evander Holyfield’s source of strength. With God he felt there was nothing to fear and even in times of defeated gave Him the praise and the glory.
Christians will be encouraged by Holyfield’s pretty much unwavering walk with Lord, while boxing fans will enjoy the behind the scenes fight details. Almost anyone, however, would be heartened to read this story of a nice guy who, by the grace of God, finished on top.
Although blessed with skill, size, discipline, and the heart of a lion, it’s Holyfield’s true appreciation of God and his desire to do God's will that I admire most. No question Evander Holyfield gives the credit where all credit is due.
The Humble Warrior is book well worth reading.
(publishing information: Holyfield: The Humble Warrior by Evander and Bernard Holyfield, published by Thomas Nelson, 1996, hardcover, 244 pages)
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Foreman’s Testimony Packs Powerful Punch
He was a miserable bully with a chip on his shoulder. Then George Foreman became the World Heavyweight Champion. He had it all...but he still wasn't happy or at peace until he met the Lord.
His conversion happened on March 17, 1977. Just a few days previously, life had been looking good. He was on the comeback trail after having lost his title to Muhammad Ali a few years before. And now he was ready to fight a big fight against Jimmy Young, one that would set up for a rematch title fight. And yet, Foreman felt empty. Standing on the balcony of his hotel room, he began a prayer to a God he says he wasn't sure existed: “God, maybe you can take my life and use it. Maybe you can use me as something more than a boxer.”
On March 17,1977 he lost his all-important bout against Young.
Several years ago George Foreman spoke with David Mainse on 100 Huntley Street about that day, and his life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.
I had just fought a fight with Jimmy Young, just a decision, it wasn’t a tough fight or anything. After I found out I had lost I went back to the dressing room, just a normal cooling off. And let me tell you business picked up for me there.
I had always prayed to God, I believed there was probably a God somewhere and I’d say no matter what, everybody got their own religion as long as they treat people right it's OK. But when I left that dressing room I was screaming the name of Jesus.
After the loss, he had entered the dressing room, and began pacing up and down, obsessed with thoughts of his future, and about his relationship with God. He was obsessed with the thought of death. This inner conflict left him lying on the floor, where God gave him a series of visions.
I was snatched out of my body and I don’t know if you’ve been to the sea, as far off as you can see there’s nothing but water. Well as far off as I could see there was nothing but people coming out, in something like a trap. And I know this place was hell but I said ‘I don’t care, if this was death I still believe in God.’ Then I was snatched right out of that place and taken to another place of life and back into my body. I started screaming ‘That’s all right I’m dying for God.’ And so as I was sitting there I was snatched into all kinda of religions and brought back into the dressing room. I didn’t know what was goin on.
Mainse asked, “So you actually thought you were dying?”
I saw death, I saw it. I mean I had built my whole life on real estate, what I had in the bank and I saw it all like a big joke. If you stick a match to piece of paper, for a moment it stands up after it’s burned; then you touch it and it crumbles. I saw the whole world crumble behind me and all I had was nothing. I had to leave all of it in the world. I couldn't even tell my mother ‘bye,’ I was dead, I was dead. And I started crying saying ‘Lord I don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die, I can still box,’ and I was talking to God, ‘I can still box!’
He said ‘I don’t want your money, I want you!’
Foreman’s friends and trainers got him off the floor and onto a training table, where the sensations of meeting Jesus and feeling the pains of His death continued.
So as laid on the table, I’m coming back into my body and I told one of my doctors to move his hand because the thorns are makin’ me bleed on his hand. And blood started running down my face. And I told the other one to move his hand because on my hands and on my feet there was blood. All of the places where Jesus had uh died.
I never believed in Jesus, I wasn’t gin’ to go for it, I never would have, but let me tell you Jesus is alive. And I started screaming ‘Jesus Christ come to life!’ And I walked out of that room , jumped off of that table, and headed for a cold shower ‘cause that’s the last thing you would ask me to do after a fight.
I stared screaming words like ‘hallelujah I’ve been born again.’ They thought I was crazy and hurt so they took me to the hospital. They thought I was losing my mind. And they ran all kinda tests on me for two or three days and nothin’ was wrong with me. But I saw the glory of God, I saw it and let me tell you that Jesus is alive, there’s a living God and I didn’t even know it. I was wondering about it but now I’m not wondering. I know. And I thank God because there’s a lot people who think for sure and maybe, or maybe not but I know. God, I don't know for some reason touched me, an old sinner. There’s a lot of clean men out in the world doing everything right and He showed me that there’s a living God.
Since then I’ve been telling everybody, I don’t care where you come from or what you’re doing, stop it and learn about God and the Bible.
And why God did this to me I don’t know but I just praise Him everyday. I dropped everything I was doing to tell the whole world that Jesus Christ is alive. God took me all over the country fighting and I was just trying to exalt George Foreman. Now I’m going all over to try and tell them about Jesus.
George Foreman became on ordained minister and for ten years left boxing to preach the Gospel. He returned to the ring on March 9th, 1987 to raise money for the youth centre he had started in Houston, Texas. Foreman won the WBC heavy weight championship in 1994 at the age of 45, becoming the oldest man in history to capture the title. He’s still active in the ring today.
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George Foreman: A Life Changed
Another famous boxer who tells his story is George Foreman. His encounter with God changed him from a mean-spirited bully to an outgoing and caring man. Where once he fought as an outlet for his rage at life, now he feels no anger as he enters the ring, only a determination to fight his best for God. His autobiography is an honest and engaging look at a life changed by power of Jesus.
George Foreman’s childhood wasn’t pretty. He grew up as a very, very angry young man. Raised for the most part by his mother in poverty, Foreman failed miserably at school and was filled with feelings of worthlessness.
Big for his age, Foreman was a true bully. “It was the only thing I did well,” he says in the book. “In every other way I was ordinary, I believed, and I was afraid no one would think me special unless I beat them up. I wasn’t fighting to live; I was living to fight.” And fight he did, often fueled by excessive drinking, with almost anyone, anywhere.
“Looking at me sideways or any which way — just looking at me period — earned you a knuckle sandwich with plenty of relish,” says Foreman in the book.
It was while listening to a Cassias Clay-Floyd Paterson fight on the radio that someone dared him to try boxing.
After demolishing the early opponents of his amateur career, Foreman went on to win the heavyweight gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, even though he was the least-experienced fighter on the USA team.
Soon he received some lucrative offers to turn pro, and upon doing so continued to beat all who came his way. Ultimately he even knocked down the then-unbeaten champion, Joe Frazier, six times to claim his title of World Heavyweight Champion.
After several one-sided title defences, Foreman earned more money than he could spend (though he tried hard to do so). Yet despite the money, fame and women that came with the title, a gnawing emptiness was growing inside.
Prior to his title fight in Zaire, Africa against Muhammad Ali, Foreman says he was giving Islam “serious thought, sort of trying it on for size.” But pre-fight confrontation with Ali, who in a rage hurled a multitude of obscenities at him and slurred him as a “Christian” (which he wasn’t at the time), left him disillusioned about the religion.
“I figured if this (Ali) was the true face of Islam, I didn't want to see it my mirror,” said Foreman.
That however didn’t end his search for “something, anything to fill the emptiness.” He even became “infatuated” with the character played by David Carradine in the television show Kung Fu. Soon that image became tarnished as well.
Everyone, including Foreman, expected him to beat Ali easily, but Foreman wore himself out trying to do so too early and Ali, using his now famous “rope-a dope” routine claimed a shocking title victory. The loss left Foreman “depressed beyond recognition.”
Feeling he was nothing without the title, he resolved to one day win it back and after several one-sided decisions, Foreman appeared ready to grab the title again. First, however, he had to get past a boxer named Jimmy Young. Despite being the heavy favorite, Foreman let the fight that he had his powerful life-changing encounter with the living Jesus Christ.
A changed man, Foreman quit boxing and went on to preach the gospel in the streets, eventually starting his own church in Houston. “There’s nothing greater than to stand up and tell the truth,” he said.
One day a young mother asked him to give some encouragement to her son who was taking up boxing. No longer interested in the sport, Foreman declined. Two days later that same young man ended up in jail for shooting, though not killing, a store owner he had tried to rob. Rocked with guilt, Foreman vowed to help other street kids. He opened up the George Foreman youth and Athletic Center in downtown Houston. It provided kids with alternative activities to the trouble of the streets.
Unfortunately, after several failed marriages and a dishonest attorney, Foreman’s back account was starting to run out. The man who had once owned a fleet of luxury cars was now driving a Chevette.
Rather than accept honorariums for speaking at churches, which he says left him feeling guilty, Foreman decided the only way to keep the center going was to return to professional boxing at age 37, almost ten years after he’d retired.
Once mean and sullen, the now friendly and gregarious born-again Foremand stage an unbelievable comeback, winning the WBC heavyweight title November 5, 1994, nearly twenty years to the day from his loss to Ali. In the ring, after the victory, Foreman publicly prayed a thank-you prayer, something he told God he’d do if He’d allow him to win the title again.
Although fearful of doing damage to his opponents, Foreman, who turns 48 in January, amazingly continues to fight and raise money for his charitable organization.
By George is both entertaining and engrossing. Told with humility, honesty and humor, it is a book you’ll have trouble putting down.
(By George: The autobiography of George Foreman by George Foreman and Joel Engel Random house, 1995, hardcover, 262 pages.)
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