Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield III: Will juggernauts return for bite fight encore we all have been waiting for?
Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, two of the greatest boxers to grace the ring, are infamously tied to one of the most controversial moments in modern boxing history.
Holyfield was one of the toughest opponents Tyson had ever faced in the ring, and even went on to beat him in an 11th-round TKO in their first bout in November 1996. Their June 1997 rematch saw Tyson disqualified after he bit both of Holyfield's ears in retaliation to the latter's constant headbutting that purportedly went unnoticed by the referee. However, the bite fight may have an encore after all as both men, now in their fifties, have reportedly said yes to face each other at a charity exhibition bout.
The two boxing greats are now in talks to stage a third fight twenty-three years after Iron Mike (Tyson) literally bit off a piece of The Real Deal's ear. “I would do that! Yes, I want to fight Mike Tyson,” Holyfield recently told The Sun. “I can definitely handle him... But Mike would have to want to do it as well.” Holyfield was able to pull off upsets both times he fought Tyson before his retirement, but many pundits of the sport have argued that Tyson was already way past his prime when the bouts took place.
That said, the 53-year-old Tyson has recently teased his return to the ring as well. A rather intimidating training video of his was shared on Instagram. See how he blasts off here.
Interestingly, Holyfield posted another video of him training, and concluded with declaring, "I'm back."
Watch how Holyfield kills it here.
Speaking to ESPN, Rafael Cordeiro, one of the most accomplished trainers in the UFC who is currently coaching Tyson, asserted that the brutal slugger's comeback is "not a joke" despite the fact that he last fought professionally way back in 2005.
"I didn't know what to expect," Cordeiro told ESPN's Ariel Helwani. "He hasn't hit mitts for almost 10 years. So I didn't expect to see what I saw. I saw a guy with the same speed, same power as guys 21, 22 years old."
Now that is frightening, to say the least.
Meanwhile, 57-year-old Holyfield has made it clear he's ready to go at a moment's notice.
“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," Tyson's in-ring nemesis declared. “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.”
Tyson made similar remarks earlier this month. After revealing he's been back in the gym hitting the mitts and training profusely, Kid Dynamite said he's considering some charity bouts. Nonetheless, it doesn't look like Tyson will return simply for some light-hearted exhibitions. In fact, this was his answer when he was recently asked about feeling unstoppable in his prime years:
“I feel unstoppable now. The gods of war have reawakened me. They’ve ignited my ego and want me to go to war again.”
Ever since his retirement, Tyson has showcased a transformation in his personality unlike anyone else. To the naked eye, it obviously seemed like the ferocious character of his fighting prime was one for the history books.
Having said that, Tyson has reassured that if he returns to the ring, it will only be with the aim of helping those in need. “Imagine I went out there and fought,” Tyson said. “I could help all these people and animals we’re talking about. That’s really what it’s about.”
Of course, it is easy to cut together some footage and make someone look impressive in a training camp, but one cannot argue the same if they know the legacy these two legends have left behind.
Tyson and Holyfield are undoubtedly in unbelievable physical condition for their advanced ages. The erstwhile 'baddest man on the planet' has made it clear that he still carries shocking power and speed in his guns, and Holyfield looks rather fluid as he blasts the mitts in his camp.
With a combined age of 110 years, these two juggernauts still have the potential to grant us the electrifying thriller we all look forward to.