Butterbean got battered by 52-year-old heavyweight legend Larry Holmes but scored controversial last-gasp knockdown

Butterbean was taken to school by an ageing Larry Holmes in 2002.

The former heavyweight world champion was well past his best at 52 years old, but still had enough left in the tank to outpoint the barrelling 334lbs boxer.

Butterbean – real name Eric Esch – had made a name for himself knocking out journeymen boxers.

At the time, he was 65-2-3 but hadn’t fought anyone of note outside of Peter McNeeley – who is best known for getting blasted out by Mike Tyson in his first fight back since being released from prison.

Esch’s promoter Bob Arum had insisted on his client being strictly a four-round fighter over fears he would have a ‘heart attack in the ring’.

However, the Holmes clash was booked as a ten-rounder.

The showdown was set up to settle an old score between the pair after Holmes had written in his autobiography, ‘Against the Odds’, that boxers like Esch had no place in the sport.

Holmes – who reigned supreme over the heavyweight division during the late 70s and early to mid-80s – was noted for having one of the best jabs in boxing and won the fight almost completely with his lead hand.

For ten rounds, Holmes jabbed Butterbean’s head off, occasionally slipping in a right hand for good measure.

Esch struggled to lay a glove on Holmes for the entire fight but was credited with a controversial knockdown in the final 15 seconds when Holmes was sent tumbling backwards into the ropes.

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Following an exchange in the middle of the ring, Holmes got knocked off balance and was held up by the ropes, prompting referee Chris Woolesen to start a count.

At first, it appeared he had been grazed by a left hook from Butterbean.

However, replays showed that Esch hadn’t landed a shot and that it was in fact a slip.

Reacting to slow-mo footage of the incident, Commentator Al Bernstein remarked: “You know what? That’s not a knockdown.

“I stand corrected. I thought the punch had landed and it was a knockdown but I stand corrected. That should not have been a knockdown, Larry Holmes just tripped backwards and fell.”

In the end, the 10-8 round had no effect on the result with all three judges scoring it in favour of Holmes with scorecards of 98-91, 97-92 and 96-93.

As he took to the mic in the immediate aftermath of his grudge match, Holmes called time on his legendary 29-year professional career.

“This is my song,” he said. “The fat lady is singing. I’m out.”

Shortly after losing to Holmes, Butterbean began competing in kickboxing and MMA alongside his boxing exploits.

He eventually hung his gloves in 2013 with 126 professional fights (97-24-5) across all three disciplines to his name

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