Evette Holyfield Says Boxer Father and Biblical Values Keeping Her Abstinent
Evette Holyfield, 27-year-old daughter of former undisputed heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield, is speaking out about her decision to remain abstinent until marriage which began at six years old and has been maintained with the help of her biblical values.
Holyfield now aims to speak to young women about maintaining their virginity until marriage and recently spoke to Essence magazine about her decision. Holyfield told the publication that she grew up in a Christian household and described how her father and faith inspired her decisions.
"You don't need to have sex outside of marriage," Holyfield recalled her father telling her. "He went through the whole spiel with me. So as I grew up, I thought, okay dad, if you don't want me to do it, I'm not gonna do it. Then I started to really understand church – the words in the Bible and what the pastor is really saying."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
As she grew older, Holyfield described her decision to continue believing the ideals that her father instilled in her.
"At that point, I wasn't just doing it because my dad said don't, but rather, I now believe that by waiting, God will bless me and bring me a great husband," Holyfield told Essence. "I want to meet somebody amazing, and I know that if I do this, I'm doing this for him and I. That's what I want."
However, the former boxer's daughter admitted that being a virgin while dating has not always been an easy task.
"If I'm talking to someone I actually like, I say, 'Look. This is not gonna happen, and there's no chance.' An ex once told me we couldn't be in a relationship if I wasn't going to have sex because he knew he would end up cheating on me, and he cared about me too much," she told the publication. "He chose to break it off rather than take it further. I feel like if a guy truly loves me, and he's ready to commit, then he will do everything in his power to make me happy and meet my criteria."
While Holyfield said she speaks to different groups of girls at various schools, she said she realizes that all women will not wait until marriage to have sex. For those who decide not to wait, she has a faithful piece of advice.
"I would prefer if women waited to have sex, but I know it's unrealistic to think that all women are going to think like me. I think women should make a list of what they really want in a man," Holyfield told Essence. "Then, wait, really stick to your guns, and have faith that God is going to give you that person. If women did that, it would save them a lot of heartache. Never settle."
