Bradley Klapper in Zurich Evander Holyfield failed narrowly to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time as Nikolai Valuev clinched a close majority decision in Switzerland on Saturday night.

Bradley Klapper in Zurich

Evander Holyfield failed narrowly to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time as Nikolai Valuev clinched a close majority decision in Switzerland on Saturday night.

After 12 tight rounds, the Russian was ahead 115-114 and 116-112 on two scorecards, while the third judge ruled it a 114-114 draw.

It was a spirited performance by the 46-year-old challenger, though, who almost clinched the heavyweight title for the fifth time.

Holyfield received a rapturous reception from the sell-out crowd of 12,500, who cheered every time the American launched an attack.

With Valuev controlling the centre of the ring in the opening rounds, Holyfield danced around his opponent, hitting with occasional single shots.

The four-time champion did well to stay away from Valuev's long left jab and hit him with a big left in the fourth, but the Russian answered with a strong right uppercut.

Much to the delight of the crowd, the fifth was a good round for Holyfield who first landed a right-left combination to the body and later connected with a big left hook to the head.

Both men were on target during a mid-round exchange in the sixth, but Valuev's left jab looked more effective in the sixth.

In the seventh, the crowd raised the roof when Holyfield fired in a combination to the head. However, Valuev would continue to control the centre of the ring, not allowing Holyfield to hit him very often.

Valuev's corner urged him to be more aggressive and he eventually landed a strong right in the eighth when Holyfield seemed to tire a little.

The Russian remained on the front foot as there was a big exchange during the ninth, and in the 10th Holyfield then landed a strong right-left combination. Valuev finished better and pushed his opponent in the corner in the 12th .

After the final bell rang, both men hugged, with each fighter claiming the win. When the scorecards were read out, boos rang out as the crowd favourite's narrow defeat was confirmed.

Holyfield will take time to consider whether to return to the ring after his defeat. "I will go home and think about the future," he said. "But I knew I could still do it. I fought very well and won the fight but I did not get the decision. I think I showed that I still can box and that age does not matter."

Valuev said it was an honour to fight a legend such as Holyfield. "I am proud to have been in the same ring with him," he said. "He was very fast and hard to hit. I can only advise people not to get hit by him. I expected a tough fight and that is what it was. Holyfield is a great fighter and he proved it tonight."

Holyfield made use of his greater mobility and experience to confound those who had criticised the supposedly one-sided nature of the bout and one of the three judges even awarded him a draw.

However, the other two favoured Valuev, who had controlled most of the fight with solid but unspectacular jabs, giving the 2.13-metre tall Russian victory by 116-112 and 115-114 points.

"I saw it the other way from the judges but I'm not disappointed by my performance," Holyfield added. "He's a tough opponent, the sheer size of him is, of course, the main factor but he fights well with it, too, and that's the problem."

Meanwhile, Rendall Munroe successfully defended his European super-bantamweight title for the third time as he scored a technical knockout win over Italy's Fabrizio Trotta in Dublin.

The Leicester binman rounded off a year to remember as Trotta was forced to retire almost a minute-and-a-half into the fifth round.

The Italian champion sprained his wrist as he threw a right hand, giving Munroe his 17th win in 18 professional fights.

England's Matt Skelton claimed the vacant European heavyweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Italian Paulo Vidoz in Milan.