SALT LAKE CITY -- Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney managed the Salt Lake City Olympics and ran for President of the United States, but Friday night he'll get in the ring with five-time heavyweight champion of the world Evander Holyfield.
"There's some power behind those punches, let me tell you," Romney said while holding onto a punching bag Holyfield was hitting backstage at their weigh-in Thursday.
Mitt's son Josh Romney, President of Charity Vision International, set up the fight to raise $1 million to support 40,000 eye surgeries in developing countries.
"Charity Vision goes out and works with local doctors, we partner with those doctors and cure blindness," Josh Romney said. "For $25, we give someone their sight back. We're in 21 different countries serving the very poorest people who can't get eye surgery on their own and are blind as a result."
The main event is at the Rail Event Center in Salt Lake City on Friday night. Fights get underway about 6:30 p.m. with several more serious bouts. There are four other fights before Romney vs. Holyfield.
Though a promotion video featured both fighters spouting some good-natured smack talk, Romney had nothing but praise for his opponent at the weigh-in.
"Thanks to the champ for being here," Mitt Romney said. "He's here to help cure blindness throughout the world to the extent that it can be done."
But will Mitt Romney really take a punch?
"I'm not too worried about my dad, Evander is a professional so he knows, he's going to throw a few punches, but I think he knows what my dad can take and can't take," Josh Romney said.
For more information about the event including ticketing details, click here.
