Ask anyone in Atlanta what comes to mind when you mention our city’s boxing tradition and chances are you’ll get the name Evander Holyfield. That is assuming the person you are asking doesn’t confuse boxing with wrestling, in which case, you’ll probably get Dusty Rhodes, Rick Flare or Gordon Solie.
It is, however, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield who put Atlanta on the boxing map by being boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champion and defending his title against the likes of George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson among others.
But as great as Holyfield was in the ring, he is not the first Atlanta based boxer to hold a boxing title, just the most recent. Step down in weight class to the middleweight division and go back several decades and you will find “The Georgia Deacon” at the pulpit in this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
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What a fascinating piece! It’s incredible to learn about ‘The Georgia Deacon’ and how Atlanta’s boxing history extends beyond the well-known names. Lance Russell’s storytelling brings these untold stories to life in flappy dunk such an engaging way. Looking forward to more of these insightful articles!