After a 13-year absence, professional boxing will return to Milwaukee Saturday, when Eric “Butterbean” Esch headlines the “Brew City Brawl,” taking on Harry “The Ho-chunk Hammer” Funmaker at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

The fight, Butterbean’s first boxing match since defeating Joe Sicilian in March 2007, will be the last of his career — fitting since it will come on the same night as his son’s professional boxing debut.

Funmaker has also been long absent from the ring, having not fought since 2005.

This will be the third time the two have fought. Butterbean won both past events by unanimous decision.

The 43-year-old Butterbean received his nickname from his days training for the Toughman Contest. In an effort to get under 400 pounds to qualify for the contest, he began a plain butterbean and chicken diet. The guys he trained with noticed.

“They knew the butterbean thing pissed me off so they all started chanting it,” he said. “And then it just stuck.”

The fighting superstar is 77-7-4 in his boxing career with 58 of his victories coming from knockouts. But after 22 years of professional fighting, the heavyweight has chosen Milwaukee as the location for his last boxing bout.

“I’ve had over 200 fights, I’ve been doing it for 22 years,” Butterbean said. “You’ve got to quit some time…There’s not much more I can accomplish in the fight game. I’ve fought more different styles of fight than any other fighter ever has.”

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Originally from Alabama, Butterbean moved to Bay City, Mich., where the Toughman Contest was founded, looking to make his way into the industry. The contest was a chance for amateur fighters to prove their mettle.

Butterbean’s son Caleb, 21, will also be fighting Saturday. Caleb has fought other styles in the past, but this will be the first professional boxing match of his career. He said having been around fighting his whole life, it always made sense to get into fighting.

“I’ve always been around it. (My dad’s) done it for so long, so I’ve grown up with it. I’ve always been interested in it,” Caleb said. “I had to give it a shot and see what I could do, so I just decided one day, ‘Hey, why not?’ ”

The Brew City Brawl is being put on by Iron Fist Promotions LLC, a company started by 2001 Marquette Alumnus Peter Vehmas.

Proceeds from the event will benefit local charities, Vehmas said.

“We saw an opportunity to revitalize boxing in Milwaukee,” Vehmas said. “Everyone has a story of going to a boxing match with their dad.

“Butterbean’s such a gentleman. We couldn’t have asked for a better act.”