However, over a long career which included memorable fights with Lennox Lewis and the infamous ear-biting incident during the 1997 bout with Mike Tyson, it's his three fights against Riddick Bowe that boxing aficionados will most remember.

Indeed, many respected commentators place this trilogy alongside the likes of Floyd Patterson-Ingemar Johansson ('59-'61) and the great Ali-Frazier bouts of the '70s for sheer entertainment.

For their first meeting in 1992, Holyfield's undisputed heavyweight title was on the line and both men were undefeated.

Bowe enjoyed a considerable 30pound weight advantage but it certainly didn't show in a skillful contest with the 10th round remembered as being one of the greatest three minutes in heavyweight championship history. It was Bowe, however, who kept his unbeaten record in a unanimous decision after 12 rounds. The fight was voted Ring magazine's fight of the year.

Twelve months later Holyfield had his revenge in a fight that will be remembered as much for what happened above the ring as in it. During the seventh round a parachutist attempted to land in the centre of the ring. He missed by metres but the fight was held up for 20 minutes while Bowe's entourage took out their own retribution on the publicity seeker before calm was restored.

Bowe seemed more distracted in the second half of the fight, which Holyfield won on a 2-1 decision. Holyfield took his title back from the man who'd taken it from him. Only Patterson and Ali could claim to have done the same. The third of their memorable bouts arguably bettered the first two for sheer intensity with each knocking the other down for the first time in their careers. First Bowe was sent flying to the canvas.

"All I know was, I didn't like it. I didn't like being on my butt on the canvas seeing nothing but people's shoes walking away from me, " Bowe said afterwards.

But he recovered quickly and less than a minute into the eighth round a flurry of blows ended Holyfield's challenge with the referee awarding a technical knockout. Holyfield was actually leading on all three scorecards 66-65, scoring with sharp and accurate punches but he ran out of steam. Holyfield claimed that contracting Hepatitis A had weakened his challenge.

It proved to be the final highlight of Bowe's career who retired in 1996 before making a brief comeback three years ago.

For Holyfield, however, the ring is his life. Ibragimov may have ended in defeat but he remains a big box office draw. The promoters won't allow him to retire without a fight.