-
Steve KimESPN
Reigning WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury said he was contacted about facing the man he was named after — former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson — but doesn’t think anything has come of it.
“I had a phone call saying ‘Would you like to fight Mike Tyson in an exhibition fight?’ I said ‘hell yeah,’ but I don’t think anything’s materialized out of it,” Fury said in an interview with BT Sport published Tuesday.
In recent weeks, Mike Tyson, 53, has caused quite a stir by posting social media videos of himself working out. Clips of him hitting the pads and showing he’s gotten into much better physical condition have gone viral.
Tyson last fought in 2005, when he was stopped in six rounds by Kevin McBride. Before that he was halted by Danny Williams in four rounds.
Tyson remains an iconic figure, one who still fascinates large segments of the public who have visions of the young, malevolent “Iron Mike” who became the youngest heavyweight champion ever at 20 years and four months when he demolished Trevor Berbick in two explosive rounds in 1986.
There has been chatter about Tyson making some sort of return to combat, whether it be in bare-knuckle fighting or various exhibitions for charity.
Fury, 31, decimated Deontay Wilder in seven rounds in their rematch back in February and seems to be at the peak of his powers. Fury is scheduled to face Wilder again, and then there are designs of him facing unified belt-holder Anthony Joshua sometime next year for the undisputed crown.
In short, Tyson is the past, Fury is the present.
As farcical as it sounds, what would be on a much more level playing field for Tyson is another go-around with Evander Holyfield, who forever lifted the cloak of invincibility from Tyson back in 1996 and 1997. Holyfield is now at the ripe old age of 57. But there has been some speculation about these two meeting again.
“They’re both old now so they’re a bit long in the teeth, but then who am I to say anything about what anyone’s capable of?” said Fury of the rumored rematch. “I wouldn’t try to kill anybody’s dreams of doing anything they want. If they’re both medically fit to fight, then let them do what they’ve got to do. It’s their life, not mine.”