The ‘Real Deal’ here to help ‘Pablo’ victims

MANILA, Philippines - Evander Holyfield, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, is in town to help the victims of Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao.

“We have to feed the hungry,” said the 50-year-old boxer upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport yesterday morning.

Holyfield, a four-time heavyweight champion from 1990 up to 2000, is an ambassador of the Global Village Champion Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Yank Barry and Muhammad Ali.

Barry, who flew in with Holyfield, is a nominee for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. He said the GVCF has always been in touch with the victims of Typhoon Pablo.

Holyfield will also lend an ear to the poor victims of the calamity that left over a thousand dead last December.

“We started shipping containers (of relief goods) here the day after the typhoon,” said the 65-year-old Canadian, a singer, composer, producer and philanthropist.

The GVCF, which has fed over 800 million people around the world, also has Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as its ambassador for Asia.

Pacquiao was in the United States training for his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez when the typhoon hit a big area in Mindanao.

Holyfield said he won’t miss the chance to sit down with Pacquiao.

“Sure. Yes,” said the only boxer in history to beat former heavyweight king Mike Tyson twice. “We will get together to help the people and show that we do more than fight.”

Barry said it will be a great meeting between the two GVCF ambassadors.

Despite a previous announcement that he is finally retiring from boxing, Holyfield is still listed as an active boxer.

“I changed my mind, which means I’m not retiring,” he said smiling.

But of course, he’s not here to fight Pacquiao. – With report from Rudy Santos