Somewhere, Evander Holyfield is wondering if he can catch a break. Then again, you make your own breaks, good or bad. Lately, it has been all bad breaks for the former boxing heavyweight champion, and he is at the heart of all his drama.
TMZ reports that Holyfield was held in contempt of court for failing to pay $563,900 in back child support. That is not a misprint.
The contempt charge stems from an initial $372,097 in child support payment Holyfield owed for daughter, Emani Holyfield, 18.
But according to TMZ — citing court documents — that amount swelled to $563,900. The boxing legend was held in contempt and ordered to pay $2,950 a month to clear the debt. Holyfield got a payment plan and paid $17,700 toward that debt, according to TMZ. The judge also ordered that a percentage of Holyfield’s income be earmarked to pay down the debt, TMZ reports.
What, exactly, is Holyfield’s income these days? He hardly has had an endorsement in the last decade, partly because of the image he projects: a good guy, but he has a dozen children — a dozen — by a half-dozen women. Not exactly the image family-oriented companies want representing their products.
Holyfield has faced financial difficulties for years, despite having earned about $230 million in the ring. He has sued some representatives for misuse of his finances and has blown a lot of money, especially on a $30 million home outside of Atlanta that took $1 million a year to maintain.
Recently, Holyfield, after being saved by outside sources over the years, lost that enormous home and to foreclosure has been sued for thousands of dollars in lapsed child support payments in Georgia, Texas and California. He has fought to renegotiate the payments, arguing that his income has fallen off since he left the ring.
