GL: 2006 has been a great comeback year for you Evander, what's the latest and greatest? When can we expect to see you back in the ring? "Hopefully during the first quarter of next year. I don't know really much more than that right now, but all the champions are caught up with their mandatory defenses now so I guess I'll have to look for another non-title fight again."

GL: You surprised some people with your victory over Oquendo. Can we expect your next opponent to be a step up from Oquendo?

Evander Holyfield: "It all depends. It all depends on the situation and how much money is out there for the opponent. My whole thing is, if I'm going to carry myself through that I want to get paid for it. But mainly with me it's more of a situation about getting things in order in the sense that I'm strategizing my championship run and you can't just fight anybody. If I had it my way I would fight for the title right now and I"m looking for a smart fight in between now and then."

GL: Are you hoping it's one more fight before a title shot?

EH: "I think it will be and that's why it's so important for me to get the right fight. I have the tools necessary to get the job done, but how many fights can one actually have just to have? Klitschko has to fight his mandatory and so do most of the other champions."

GL: After the Oquendo fight, many of the checks Murad issued bounced. Will you still continue to work with Murad Muhammad?

EH: "My whole thing is I had a two fight deal with Murad. I don't really want to get caught up in that right now because I don't want to work against me and I ain't trying to slander nobody or anything like that. Personally it's something I shouldn't talk about at this time."

GL: You've been mentioning Klitschko to me for a while and after your victory over Oquendo, Murad went public with a $20M offer to fight Klitschko. After several of his checks bounced it makes that situation look like a joke to a lot of people.

EH: "Yeah, yeah. You're absolutely right, it does make it look like a joke." (long silence)

GL: I imagine it's a tough situation for you to talk about right now so let's move on and talk about other things. What do you think about Jameel McCline fighting Nikolai Valuev?

EH: "I didn't even know that fight was happening, but I have to be honest with you I give McCline a pretty good shot at the win. It's a styles thing and Jameel is a pretty big guy himself, he's one of the bigger heavyweights out there so it's going to be real interesting."

GL: Bernard Hopkins has talked about fighting at heavyweight. Is that a fight that might interest you?

EH: "No and no. He might be able to come up against someone he feels is perfect and run back on down like Roy Jones Jr did, but he can't fight at heavyweight. He could fight certain heavyweights, but he can't fight at heavyweight. I wouldn't fight him because I don't think little guys coming up who want to move right back down is not good for heavyweight. Roy Jones moved back down not because he didn't want to box no more, but because he didn't want to lose. What happened there? He moved back down and lost three times at light heavyweight."

GL: After posting two wins in a row does it feel good knowing that you're closer to a title fight than you have been in quite some time?

EH: "I never knew I was far away from one. (Laughs) I always expect to win when I step in there and I knew it wasn't going to take long for me to be a fight away. I'm preparing myself everyday for the opportunity. 2007 is the year of completion for me, but I'm going to stay active myself and I'm going to fight somebody to keep myself warm before I become heavyweight champion of the world for a fifth time."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

EH: "Tell the fans that 2007 is the year of completion. The Real Deal Evander Holyfield, boxing's only four time heavyweight champion is going to become boxing's only five time heavyweight champion in 2007."

M

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