Some passed by minding their own business, but those who managed to glance in the direction of the couple seated at a window table in Portofino late yesterday afternoon couldn't believe their eyes as heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield dined just feet away.

A few were bold enough to try to get into the restaurant for a second look or even an autograph and eventually staff at the popular restaurant on Bermudiana decided to lock the doors to allow their famous customer to dine in peace with his wife Janice, a doctor.

"It's the same everywhere,'' Holyfield answered when asked if he was enjoying more freedom here in Bermuda.

The Portofino staff did their best to contain themselves as the Holyfields dined for about an hour and a half.

"We tried to give him space,'' said waiter Guglielmucci Giovanni. `He was very polite and signed a few autographs.'' Assistant manager Franco Pidala, who has already watched Holyfield's recent victory over Mike Tyson four times, was another in awe of the fighter.

"It was one of the best fights I've seen in the last ten years or more,'' he said. "We locked the doors when people tried to get autographs. Someone said this is becoming a place for the famous but all of our customers are important and famous to us.'' Former Miss Bermuda, Cymone Sims, was one of those who spotted Holyfield and admitted she couldn't wait to get home to tell her children.

Pidala proudly boasted that actor Clint Eastwood also dined their recently while skater Nancy Kerrigan ate there a couple of years ago.

Holyfield has become increasingly popular since his 11-round TKO over Tyson, a fight that many agree "saved the heavyweight division'' after Tyson had made a habit of beating his opponents into submission.

As he headed off towards Front Street, after posing for pictures, Holyfield disclosed that he was spending only a few days in Bermuda. He has been travelling non-stop since the fight, visiting California, New York and Chicago. His native Atlanta held a parade on Peachtree Street to honour their hero two weeks ago.

From here he will head back to Atlanta to relax some more and think about his options, one of which could be a rematch with Tyson some time next year.