Holyfield, the IBF and WBA heavyweight champion, now has nine children -- the newborn Elijah Jedidiah to his wife, Janice three with his first wife, Paulette, from whom he has been divorced since 1991 and five others born out of wedlock to four women. Holyfield made the admission in an interview published in yesterday's editions of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Holyfield, who beat Vaughn Bean in a 12-round decision Saturday night at the Georgia Dome, described his wife as ``my best friend,'' but admitted he regretted getting married almost immediately after they met in October 1996. The couple has been in and out of counselling since then, he said, but he declined to address the future of his marriage.

Two boys, Eleazar and Elijah Elias, were born 11 months and 10 months ago. When the women became pregnant, Holyfield said hewas angry about the state of his marriage and admitted, ``I started going back to my old habits.'' He said he told his wife of his infidelity and the impending births and suggested they get divorced, but she declined and the two continued to attend counselling.