Evander Holyfield has announced he is making a boxing comeback in exhibition matches for charity.
The 57-year-old revealed his intention to return to the ring on his social media platforms on Wednesday night.
Alongside a cinematic montage, the post on Twitter read: ‘Are you ready? The moment you’ve all been waiting for… The Champs are back!
‘I’d like to announce that I will be making a comeback to the ring. I will be fighting in exhibition matches for a great cause: #Unite4OurFight.’
Holyfield’s post on his Instagram account continued: ‘I’m training to promote a charity that’s very close to me. Our #Unite4OurFight campaign aims to fill the void the pandemic has created on access to resources our youth needs for emotional development and education.’ The ‘Real Deal’ hasn’t fought since hanging up his gloves after beating Danish fighter Brian Nelsen by technical knockout back in 2011.
At his peak, Holyfield was the undisputed heavyweight champion after moving up from cruiserweight, where he had also reigned supreme. Holyfield’s announcement comes just days after he hinted he could be set for a shock return to the boxing ring following a cryptic post on Twitter.
He posted a picture on Monday which showed an image of him snarling, along with the word ‘comeback’ in capital letters over the top of it.
He also wrote a teasing caption, which read: ‘A setback only paves the way for a comeback.’
Former rival Mike Tyson, 53, has recently revealed his ambitions to return to the ring to compete in charity fights and has been training to get into shape ahead of a potential comeback.
The pair met twice in two famous encounters in the 1990s, which saw Holyfield knock out his rival in their first bout before their infamous second fight.
Dubbed the ‘Bite Fight’, the brawl is best remembered for Tyson biting a chunk out of Holyfield’s ear during the contest. Tyson was eventually disqualified after biting Holyfield on two separate occasions.