Above: Evander Holyfield (a.k.a. ‘The Real Deal’) and Ethiopian
American boxer Sammy Retta.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
New York (Tadias) Evander Holyfield and Ethiopian American boxer Sammy Retta have arrived in Addis Ababa to prepare for an exhibition match on July 26 to help raise funds for AIDS victims, Ethiopian Television reports.
The event will mark Holyfield’s first boxing gig since his controversial loss to Nikolai Valuev.
The 46-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion will face off in July the less known Sammy Retta, whom according to AFP, “is a 35-year-old with a record of 18 wins and three losses in super-middleweight bouts” and “at 230 pounds, he now outweighs his more illustrious rival.”
The upcoming fight has been described by AFP “as one of the highest-profile all-American boxing bouts on African soil since the legendary 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ that pitted Muhammad Ali against Joe Frazier in the former Zaire.”
Related: Holyfield targets September world title fight (AFP)
VIDEO: The Rumble In The Jungle: Muhammad Ali defeats
George Foreman (October 30, 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire)
Video: Holyfield Beats Mike Tyson
Sammy, take care, you are about to meet the legend. If I were you I would give him a lot of katikala before the fight, lol.
I just learned about this fight from my dear husband,Chris who is crazy about boxing. Sammy, I wish you all the best. YAGER ADBAR YEKETELHE.