Evander Holyfield, who is 46 years of age, has revealed that he will fight against Nikolai Valuev with the aim of becoming the oldest heavyweight title-holder of all time.

He has spoken of his ambition of beating the record set by George Foreman, who knocked out Michael Moorer at the age of 45. This record was set in 1994 and the American boxer managed to win both the IBF and the WBA titles in that match.

The boxing legend, Holyfield, will come up against Valuev, who is Russia’s WBA champion, in the middle of December in Zurich, Switzerland. Valuev will be tough competition for the American fighter. He is both heavier and taller than Holyfield and has revealed that he will take the fight “very seriously” and will do all he can to beat his “strong” opponent.

The fight will be Holyfield’s first since he lost to Sultan Ibragimov last year. It will be a good opportunity for the boxer to prove himself after a tough couple of years. Although Holyfield (who may be remembered for having his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson in 1997) has won the title of world champion four times, he has only won five of his eleven fights since 2001.

Some recent performances have seen a different fighter from the one seen in legendary matches against fighters including Lionel Byram and James Douglas.

There has been some talk in the American media of the fighter’s financial problems. He has apparently struggled to keep up with child-support payments and has had to face the threat of a prison sentence.