Holyfield back in the ring

Holyfield: Expects tough fight

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Evander Holyfield is to fight Francois Botha for the lightly regarded WBF world heavyweight title in Uganda on January 16.

The fight is to be staged at Kampala's Nambole Stadium, with organisers predicting a crowd of 80,000 for a contest Holyfield hopes will give him a shot at a more prestigious title.

"I am very much looking forward to going to Uganda and I expect a tough fight against Francois Botha," said Holyfield, who has not fought since losing a points decision to Nikolai Valuev in a WBA title fight in December 2008.

The 47-year-old former world heavyweight and cruiserweight champion - Holyfield is the only man to have won the heavyweight title four times - added: "I am going to win and I will cherish the WBF world title."

Botha also sees the fight as a springboard to bigger things - the South African having lost to Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and Michael Moorer alongside his 47 professional wins.

He retained his WBF title by drawing with Cuban Pedro Carrion in Germany in October.

"I have always been my own harshest critic. My performance against Carrion, without making any excuses, was arguably the worst of my career," Botha said.

"Expect the fittest, toughest and best ever - and extremely serious - Francois Botha in Uganda in January.

"I owe my fans and members of Team Botha the performance of my life. I intend to make good on that."