EVANDER HOLYFIELD revealed a sparring session with a young Andy Ruiz Jr made him realise he was too old to fight.
The heavyweight legend, now 60, believes the spar took place in 2009, though Ruiz recalls it happening in 2011, Holyfield’s final year in boxing.
Evander Holyfield knows the moment he started to feel old
Holyfield revealed a sparring session with an up and coming Ruiz Jr made him realise he was too old to fight
Holyfield fought Brian Nielsen when he was 48 years old in 2011.
But a few rounds with future heavyweight champion Ruiz, who was a couple years into his career, was all he needed to confirm retirement was overdue.
He told told Pro Boxing Fans: “When I sparred that guy Ruiz and when he was 19-years-old he was able to tag me when I was 46 and I knew then.
“I don’t pass my age range where it no longer makes sense to get like that by somebody you think you should be able to beat, because experience and all this, but he had speed and I was losing speed.”
Holyfield made a comeback last year in a bout against Vitor Belfort.
The two-division world champ was beaten in a first-round TKO.
He also wanted to fight Mike Tyson again despite both being the other side of 50.
Ruiz Jr, meanwhile, went on to become world heavyweight champion when he shocked Anthony Joshua in Madison Square Garden.
He most recently beat Luis Ortiz back in September by knocking him down three times.
Rumours suggested he could fight Tyson Fury next.
Holyfield sparred Ruiz towards the end of his heavyweight career
