NEW YORK -- Evander Holyfield gave George Foreman something to chew on yesterday, saying he "would love to see George retire."

"George won over everyone," the heavyweight champion said yesterday. "He got a moral victory. Why go through the strain of trying to get there again? Your last impression on the people was that fight. It should end there."

Agreeing with Holyfield was Foreman's promoter, Bob Arum, who said the 42-year-old challenger had asked him to "explore what's out there for him, fighting or not fighting."

Arum said he has talked to the William Morris Agency, advertisers, Time-Warner (which has offered Big George a million-dollar deal to be boxing commentator on HBO fights).

Arum said many of the deals "precluded fighting."

He also said he had told Foreman, "You know the danger fighting at this age."

He said he hoped Foreman would emulate Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who quit after his controversial loss to Sugar Ray Leonard.

"Marvin was really worried about slurring his speech and brain damage," said Arum, Hagler's promoter. "It preyed on his mind. He quit and he's very happy."