Holyfield Vs Mercer! February 2013!

Evander Holyfield.

Former world heavyweight champions and boxing legends Evander Holyfiel and Ray Mercer will meet in the ring in an exhibition match at the start of next year.

Ray Mercer in his prime.

The event takes place on February 2nd 2013 and the idea of the whole show is that a whole bunch of famous "fighting" celebrities come together to put on a show in honour of former president Nelson Mandela. The show will take place on the date that Mandela was released from Robben Island.

The fight involving Holyfield, 49, and Mercer, 51, will only be four rounds and will not be a full-blown, hard-punching slugfest that you usually see in the heavyweight division. The 40-year old WBF champion Michael Grant and New Zealand rugby star Sonny Bill Williams, who is also a professional boxer, are also likely to be involved in the exhibition.

Despite rumours, the event will not be held on Robben Island as there are no suitable facilities available. It also isn't certain that the event will be held in Cape Town.

"I am negotiating with a number of organisations to find the most suitable venue," said Showpony CEO Damian Michael. "Cape Town has certain advantages because of it's proximity to Robben Island, but I'm also considering the Johannesburg area."

There will also be serious bouts on the show. English welterweight contender Matthew Hatton is set to fight an opponent that will be named in the near future.