Fall Premier Auction 2013

Behold a black leather jacket from Evander Holyfield himself, a garment worthy of being worn by a former Undisputed World Champion in both the cruiser-weight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal." After winning the bronze medal in the Light Heavyweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics, he debuted as a professional at the age of 21. Holyfield moved to the cruiser-weight division in 1985 and won his first title the following year, when he defeated Dwight Muhammad Qawi for the WBA Cruiser-weight belt. He then went on to defeat Ricky Parkey and Carlos De Leon to win the Lineal, IBF and WBC titles, becoming the Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion. Holyfield moved up to heavyweight in 1988, defeating Buster Douglas for the The Ring, Lineal, WBC, WBA and IBF titles in 1990. Holyfield holds other notable victories over fighters such as George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe,and perhaps most memorably, a pair of wins against Mike Tyson. Holyfield is a four-time World Heavyweight Champion, winning the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles in 1990, the WBA and IBF titles in 1993 and the WBA title in 1996 and 2000. Like the fighter, the jacket is the "Real Deal," as indicated in prominent gold leather letters embroidered to the front beneath his name. The Bespoke Apparel tagging has a smaller flag tag of "L"; the jacket hints of light use but is otherwise virtually pristine and as-issued, with all elements problem-free. With elaborate colorful leather graphics in striking gold, red and green embroidered throughout, the jacket has "Heavyweight Champion of the World Two Times" in gold leather on the back, flanked by two boxing gloves and above an enormous section meant to simulate the gaudy World Championship belts awarded to champions, this one with his "Real Deal" nickname flanked by the titles of biblical verses, which also appear in gold leather on the shoulders. This is simply a spectacular artifact from one of the great boxing champions of the modern era.