Boxing Legend Holyfield Pitches New Barbecue Sauce

Boxing fans got the real deal Wednesday afternoon at the Alberton's on Broadway: five-time heavyweight champion of the world Evander Holyfield—all 224.5 pounds of him.

The 48-year-old boxing champ, nicknamed “The Real Deal,” was in town to pitch his “Real Deal” BBQ Sauce, and those who purchased a jar got to pose for a photo with the fighter, who beat Brian Nielsen in Denmark on a TKO last month and will fight Francois Botha Oct. 8 in South Africa.

The line was steady, and many who came to meet Holyfield bought more than one jar. This was actually a return engagement for the champ, who was at the Spring Valley Albertson's store on April 23 when the barbecue sauce was introduced there.

Some asked the current WBF champion, who has a 44-10-2 professional record, including 29 knockouts, to sign the label or cap of their jar of sauce, which was priced at $4.99 ($4.69 for Albertson's card holders). Nearby, packages of ribs on ice were prominently displayed, the perfect match for the mild or hot and spicy flavors of the “Real Deal.”

Maybe Mike Tyson could have used some of the sauce in 1998 when he lost to Holyfield by disqualication after biting off a piece of his right ear.