NORFOLK, Va. -- The last two times former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes came out of retirement, the reason he gave essentially was the same: "I still can fight.''

The 52-year-old Holmes will try to demonstrate that again Saturday night when he ends a 20-month layoff by taking on Eric "Butterbean'' Esch in a scheduled 10-round bout.

The fight comes more than 20 months since Holmes retired for the second time and almost 20 years after his famous bout with Gerry Cooney.

"You have to be ready and that's why I'm training, why my weight's down and why I'm in good shape,'' said Holmes, who's 248 pounds, four fewer than he was in April when he started training.

"I'm ready to knock this guy out. I hope he shows up.''

In Holmes' autobiography, "Against the Odds,'' Esch is called a "circus attraction'' and a "fat slob impersonating a fighter.''

Holmes, champion from 1978-85, insists the comments were inserted by his co-author and said anyone willing to get into the ring is worthy of his respect.

At a news conference in April, while squaring off for the cameras in a promotional pose, Holmes jokingly asked Esch, "How many grandchildren you got, anyway?''

For the record: Holmes has four, the 35-year-old Esch none.

"I'm going to knock him out,'' Esch said Thursday, declining to predict in which round. "After I beat Holmes, there's going to be a multimillion dollar payday out there for me.''

Holmes is getting $250,000 for the fight to Esch's $100,000. And Holmes' reasons for taking the bout include reaching 75 fights for his career and giving him something fun to occupy his time.

But he knows Esch enters the ring with a completely different perspective.

"This guy's got everything in the world to gain if he beats me,'' Holmes said. "His name will go up in lights, especially if he knocks me out like he has said he will.''

Indeed, Esch views the fight as the biggest break of his career, a chance to prove that he's a championship contender, not just a curiosity from the Toughman circuit.

"I'm not a four-round boxer. I'm a boxer. I've told many promoters, 'Look, move me up. I don't want to fight just four rounds.' And they say 'No. That's what you're known for,''' Esch said. "I've always wanted to step up, and this is my opportunity.''

Holmes has a 68-6 career record with 44 knockouts. His lone loss by knockout came in the fourth round against Mike Tyson in 1988.

But Tyson was a skilled boxer, fast and powerful, Holmes said, while Esch is a 6-foot, 355-pound brawler who relies on power punches and ending fights quickly.

"Tyson's busier. He weaves and bobs underneath. This guy just walks straight in and tries to hit you with left hooks and right hands,'' Holmes said, noting that he'll have a nearly 4-inch height advantage and 5-inch reach advantage against Esch.

"I like the fact that if you throw a punch at me at 100 miles an hour, I can block it, I can knock it down, or I can duck it. And if it lands, I can take it,'' Holmes said.

Esch, of Jasper, Ala., has a 63-1 record with 47 knockouts.

The undercard includes Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, daughter of former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, against Heidi Hartmann.