NFL: Elijah Holyfield, son of boxing legend Evander, signs for Carolina Panthers
- Published
Holyfield rushed for 1,000 yards with the Georgia Bulldogs last season
The son of former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield has joined NFL's Carolina Panthers.
Elijah Holyfield, 20, was one of four undrafted free agents signed by the franchise on Monday.
He was a star running back for the University of Georgia last season, but he could only manage 4.78sec for the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine - where potential draftees showcase their skills in a series of drills.
The benchmark is considered to be 4.50sec and Holyfield was not one of the 25 running backs selected in the NFL draft.
Speaking before the draft last week, Holyfield said he would be the "hardest-working guy in the room" if picked.
"If you want a guy that can do everything at the running back position, I'm your guy," he said.
Holyfield senior is the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes - cruiserweight and heavyweight.
In 1996, he beat Mike Tyson to win the WBA title and won a rematch the following year when his opponent was disqualified for biting off part of Holyfield's ear.
