Evander returned to the ring on November 4, 1989 in Atlantic City to take on the undefeated Alex ‘The Destroyer’ Stewart, who was 24-0 with 24 knockouts. The fight was on Showtime again, so I had to rely on newspaper clippings for the result.
Holyfield weighed in at a chiseled 212 lbs., but was fighting a bad cold on fight night. The bout itself was a battle, but Evander controlled most of the action, and opened a big cut next to Stewart’s right eye in the fifth round. Both men were hurt, but Evander’s skills started to show, and the action was called to a halt late in the eighth round, mostly because of the huge cut near Stewart’s eye.
Mike Tyson signed to fight Buster Douglas on February 10, 1990 in Tokyo, Japan. Evander had inked a deal to fight the champion on June 18, at Convention Hall in Atlantic city, and traveled to Japan to watch the bout.
Everyone knows what happened that night, when a 42-1 underdog shocked the world, and knocked out the supposedly invincible ‘Iron” Mike. Holyfield sat ringside and told Jim Lampley after the upset, “My goal is to be heavyweight champion. Not just fight Mike Tyson.” The June 18 matchup was scrapped, and Evander returned to America to alter his plans.
Evander signed to fight Seamus McDonagh,on June 1 in Atlantic City, an Irish boxer with a 19-1`-1 record. The bout itself was no contest, with the ‘Real Deal’ walking right through his opponent, and stopping him in the fourth.
A bout with the new champion Buster Douglas was signed for October, and Evander would finally get his shot at the heavyweight crown.
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