David Haye returns to the ring on Saturday after more than three years away - and he's not the first former world heavyweight champion to come back after a lengthy break from the sport.
The 35-year-old Londoner (26-2-KO24) takes on Australia's Mark de Mori (30-1-2-KO26) at The O2. His last bout was a fifth-round stoppage of domestic rival Dereck Chisora at Upton Park way back in July 2012.
As Haye looks to race back to the top of boxing's showcase division as quickly as possible, let's assess how some of the sport's biggest names fared in bidding to defy the effects of inactivity.
Muhammad Ali
Ali suffered a shock defeat to Leon Spinks late in his career
Start of absence: March 22, 1967 (aged 25) - Seventh-round stoppage of Zora Folley
Returned: October 26, 1970 (aged 28) - Third-round stoppage of Jerry Quarry
Muhammad Ali had, in his own words, 'shook up the world' when he stunned Sonny Liston to become world champion in 1964. Nine defences later, Ali refused the draft and was stripped of his boxing licence and his passport - kicking off a period of inactivity that lasted over three years.
Although he had stayed in shape throughout his exile, Ali's hand speed had diminished. He stopped Quarry on a cut after three rounds and then laboured to victory over Oscar Bonavena. In his third fight since returning, he failed to dethrone world champion Joe Frazier, falling to a points defeat at Madison Square Garden.
Ali won a heavyweight title three times
Ali strung together 10 straight victories before losing, then winning split-decisions against Ken Norton. He then avenged the Frazier defeat ahead of arguably his finest hour - seizing George Foreman's world titles in Zaire. He defended his crowns until a surprise split decision defeat to Leon Spinks in 1978 and won the rematch to become the first man to win a heavyweight title three times. Ali retired.
In 1980, a second 'comeback' did not go so swimmingly as Ali was defeated in 10 rounds by his former sparring partner and undefeated WBC world champion Larry Holmes. The final straw came in December 1981 when an overweight Ali was outpointed by Trevor Berbick.
George Foreman
Foreman continued to box professionally until the age of 48
Start of absence: March 17, 1977 (aged 28) - Unanimous points defeat to Jimmy Young
Returned: March 9, 1987 (aged 38) - Fourth-round stoppage of Steve Zouski
Foreman's first career defeat was infamous - he lost 'The Rumble in the Jungle' to Ali in 1974 and, although that shock stoppage prompted a 15-month lay-off, it was the defeat to Young that changed the course of Foreman's life. He walked away from boxing and became a Christian minister.
When Foreman returned to the ring almost exactly a decade later, gone was the hair and gone too was the physique that had intimidated so many in the first 'half' of his career. To face Zouski, he weighed in 38lbs heavier than he had done to face Young. Regardless, the Texan was quick to show the world he still possessed the trademark power.
Foreman dominated the heavyweight division in his early career
Of his next 24 opponents, only one took Foreman the distance and most were dispatched early. The extraordinary run earned him a trio of world title shots. Although he was outpointed by Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison in 1991 and 1993 respectively, a remarkable story was completed in 1994 when Foreman stopped Michael Moorer in the 10th to become WBA and IBF world champion - over 20 years after winning his first world title.
Three points defeats followed before Foreman finally hung up his gloves at the age of 48 in the wake of a majority decision loss to Shannon Briggs.
Mike Tyson
Tyson sinks to the canvas against Kevin McBride
Start of absence: June 28, 1991 (aged 24) - Points win over Donovan Ruddock
Returned: August 19, 1995 (29) - First-round stoppage of Peter McNeeley
Up until a 1990 stoppage defeat to James 'Buster' Douglas that still ranks as the biggest upset in boxing history, Tyson had scared a scary sport with his seemingly unstoppable aggression. In 1986, he had become the sport's youngest ever heavyweight champion by decimating Trevor Berbick inside two rounds.
After the shock Douglas victory in Tokyo, Tyson returned with a pair of first-round knockouts before back-to-back victories over Ruddock. With the second, he set up a long-awaited clash with undisputed champion Holyfield, only to suffer a rib injury. The same year, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison.
Tyson didn't need long to dispatch Peter McNeeley on his comeback
Released after three of those years, his comeback lasted less than a round as an in-shape Tyson prompted Peter McNeeley's cornermen to pull their fighter out. Tyson had taken around five seconds to record the first knockdown.
Two fights later, Tyson took Frank Bruno's WBC world heavyweight title by third-round stoppage. He continued to dominate the headlines with the pair of infamous defeats to Holyfield. His last shot at becoming a world champion came in 2002 when he was halted in eight by Lennox Lewis and he brought down the curtain on an incredible career with stoppage defeats to relative journeymen Danny Williams and Kevin McBride.
Riddick Bowe
Bowe returned after quitting to join the Marine Corps
Start of absence: December 14, 1996 (aged 28) - Disqualification win over Andrew Golota
Returned: September 25, 2004 (aged 36) - Second-round stoppage of Marcus Rhode
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bowe was heralded as the man to compete with Tyson for heavyweight supremacy. An intimidating presence from one of the less affluent areas of New York, Bowe had won silver at the 1988 Olympic Games - beaten in the final by Lewis, a fellow world champion of the future.
With a 31-fight unbeaten run, Bowe forced a shot at Evander Holyfield for the WBC, WBA and IBF belts in 1992 and won on points. Having also taken Herbie Hide's WBO crown and edged the trilogy with 'The Real Deal' 2-1, Bowe quit the sport after a pair of disqualification wins over Golota - citing a desire to join the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Bowe raises his arms in victory after beating Evander Holyfield
His stint in the Corps lasted mere days and by 2000, he found himself serving a short prison term. 'Big Daddy' eventually decided to return to professional boxing and quickly knocked out Rhode on his return at a casino in Oklahoma. For his next fight, Bowe weighed in at 280lbs - 45lbs more than he had prior to dethroning Holyfield.
Bowe was declared bankrupt in 2005 and fought just once more - in 2008 following another lengthy break. Remarkably, his 1993 majority decision defeat to Holyfield remains the only blemish on his professional boxing record, although a 2013 venture into martial art Muay Thai ended in an emphatic defeat.
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