Earlier this week, Mike Tyson shocked fans when he posted a frightening video of himself working out his boxing skills and then ending the video with, “I’m Back.” Former rival Evander Holyfield would soon release a similar type of video and shout the same thing at the end of his video.
Twenty-three years after Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear, the boxing greats are in talks to stage a third fight for charity, according to The Sun.
“I would do that! Yes, I want to fight Mike Tyson,” Holyfield told the newspaper. “I can definitely handle him. … But Mike would have to want to do it as well.”
Holyfield, 57, who last fought in 2011, said he is ready to go, too.
“I don’t have anything against Mike personally, the thing is I think it would be good for the sport and even though boxing is a rough sport, we can show people we can come together,” Holyfield said. “If we do this fight it would be great. I can still shoot the jab, I can still shoot the shots, but not like a killing thing, ‘I’m going to hurt you, I’m going to show you that I can knock him out’.
“Mike is looking sharp, but I’m in very good condition and shape physically and mentally. And if the money is right, too, then let’s get it on.
“I know he’s getting offers from all types of people. Since we have both announced a comeback, a fight between me and Mike would definitely be the fight people want to see.”
However, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has characterized the whole thing as “irresponsible.”
“I would probably like to see it but I feel, is it a bit irresponsible to let a 53-year-old legend back in the ring?” Hearn asked according to British Boxing Television.
“I had a message from someone saying they wanted to talk to me about Mike,” he continued. “He looks pretty dangerous. What’s compelling is could he actually go back in at 53 and do some damage? But should we be encouraging that from an all-time great?”
“There’s a fine line—and I’ve crossed it a couple of times—between integrity of the sport and entertainment delivering numbers” he concluded. “Our job is to deliver numbers for broadcasters but we have to keep it as close to the right mark as we can.”
