Boxing: Holyfield Eyes Fifth Title

Evander Holyfield, now 44, continues his quest to regain the title with the fourth fight of his unlikely comeback when the former world heavyweight champion faces 41-year-old Lou Savarese in El Paso, Texas tonight.

The Real Deal first became undisputed champion 17 years ago when he knocked out James "Buster" Douglas in three rounds and he has since fought in another 16 world title fights. If he were to regain the crown, he would become the only fighter to have been world heavyweight champion on five different occasions.

Holyfield still believes he can become undisputed champion within two years and, in the process, become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time, surpassing George Foreman who was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1995.

Recalling his title defense in 1991, when he outpointed Foreman, when he was 29 and his opponent 42, Holyfield said: "When I fought George I kind of thought, 'shoot man, I'll definitely be gone by that time. That would be real old.' Well, now I'm 44 and I don't think it's old at all."

He says he will finally quit the sport when he wins the title and said: "My momma always said: 'Son, some people may know more than you. Some people may be stronger at certain things. But when it comes down to working, it's up to you to let someone outwork you.' That's something that's always stuck with me. It's up to me to work hard. It's up to me to pay the price."

Holyfield looked finished in 2004, when the New York boxing commission stripped him of his license after he lost to Larry Donald at the end of a run in which he won only one of six fights, and many believe he is risking serious long-term damage to his health even though he has managed to win his last three, albeit against moderate opposition. But the old champion insists he is still fighting fit and that he has recovered from the shoulder problems that he says caused his dip in form. He has also reduced the ferocity of his training program. But Savarese, who will be remembered for being knocked out inside a round by Mike Tyson in Glasgow seven years ago, is the better part of a decade past his best and anything other than another win against the man from Houston tonight for Holyfield would represent a significant upset.

Holyfield will be hoping he can exploit the disjointed nature of the heavyweight division, with the title belts split among a group of relatively unknown fighters from former Soviet republics

The major belts are held currently by Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine (IBF), Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan (WBA), Oleg Maskaev of Kazakhstan (WBC) and Sultan Ibragimov of Russia (WBO).

"These guys can't beat Evander Holyfield," said his trainer, Ronnie Shields.