The tall and the short of it: Russian  Valuev faces off against Holyfield [AFP]

Holyfield, 46, is bidding to become the oldest heavyweight champion when he fights in Zurich on Saturday against the tallest and heaviest boxer to hold a world title belt.

As well as being 11 years younger than Holyfield, Valuev is 24 centimetres taller - at 2.13 metres - and expected to be some 45 kilos heavier than his American opponent.

Tough talking

"His head is exactly where it needs to be for me to hit it," Holyfield (42-9-2) shrugged when asked at a Wednesday media conference about the difference in the two men's statures.

"I honestly do not think that size really matters.

"It is about how each individual fights.

"I know I have more experience so I'm just looking forward to showing my talents in the ring."

For some critics, Holyfield's 'experience' is simply a euphemism for being too old to box, a view that the fight's promoters laboured hard to dispel.

"We've been criticised from all sides for letting him box," acknowledged organiser Wilfried Sauerland.

"But it was Evander who came to us asking for this fight and we said 'ok, but you will have to go through extensive medical tests' which he did and passed with flying colours.

"He has built up a reputation as a warrior and I think he will put up a very good fight against Valuev."

Holyfield - doing it for the 40-somethings [AFP]

Holyfield said he had lost count of the number of times he had been asked about his age but paid no attention.

"I'm happy to talk about my age, and let people look at me and say 'wow, he looks as good as any of the younger fighters'.

"It's a testimony to good living and to not quitting, so my aim is to go and win this fight for all the 40-somethings out there and prove that it's not really fair to put people all in the same pot based purely on their age."

While downplaying Valuev's height advantage, Holyfield acknowledged that he had been working with some oversized sparring partners, including the aptly-named 2.16-metre tall Julius Long, in preparation for Saturday's fight.

"It's not something that I'm worrying about though," Holyfield insisted.

"If he were ten feet tall he would still be a man and this world is not run just by big people or small people.

"It's run by the people who make the right decisions at the right time."

Fully prepared

The Valuev camp, meanwhile, said that the Russian was fully-prepared for Saturday's fight.

"Nikolai has been working constantly on his technique," said coach Alexander Zimin.

"He's become stronger, he's hitting faster and faster and he's improving with every day.

"I'm sure Holyfield's team are going to be waiting for the first mistake from Nikolai, but there isn't going to be one."

Valuev (49-1-0) acknowledged that Holyfield's reputation had impressed him but said there was no chance he would be overawed.

"At first I thought 'wow, Holyfield!' but I'm done with that now," the Russian said.

"Names aren't what win fights and he is a boxer just like anyone else.

"Of course, we talked about his age a bit in our training sessions but I don't think that or the height difference are going to be decisive.

"It will be about who has prepared best and who can use his experience the most."