Mike Tyson has been offered a third bout with Evander Holyfield following his unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul.
The 58-year-old heavyweight made a return to the ring in a professional match for the first time in almost two decades, facing off against YouTuber-come-boxer Paul, aged 27, at the AT&T Stadium on November 15. Despite many fans hoping to witness ‘Iron’ Mike knock out the ‘Problem Child’, the fight unfolded quite differently.
Paul, with a distinct speed advantage, effortlessly navigated the ring, systematically breaking down the ex-heavyweight world champion before seizing a unanimous win after eight rounds. The performance prompted such dissatisfaction that some attendees left their seats before the event finished.
As calls surface urging Tyson to retire from combat sports gracefully with his historic 50-7-2 record, his long-standing adversary Holyfield expressed interest in a tantalising third showdown. Holyfield took to Instagram with an image which read: “The trilogy Tyson VS Holyfield,” penning alongside it: “The fans want it #unfinishedbusiness,” reports the Mirror US.
Tyson, however, swiftly dismissed the prospect of stepping back into the ring with Holyfield for a trilogy, responding: “I love you, brother, but the trilogy is our friendship.” Fans quickly voiced agreement with Tyson’s stance on a potential bout, with one writing: “We love you, so we don’t want to see it,” while another added: “After Tyson’s performance, rather not see him step in the ring anymore …now everybody wanna try and pick on Tyson.”
Earlier this week, Holyfield reiterated his interest in a third fight with Tyson on The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal, explaining: “When I said that, I would do it you know? But we asked him a long time ago and he decided not to do it and it was okay.”
Discussing whether the idea of another encounter gives him excitement, Holyfield admitted: “The thing is, I’m a supportive person. I don’t have nothing against none of the boxers. I know what it is, what it takes to do it and even though I tried to handle myself…
“My mama told me ‘you’ve got to have this look on your face all the time and even when you feel there’s people wanna talk you into bragging, don’t brag’. And I kinda felt that I did everything great, and I become the person that I am.”
Tyson famously lost his WBA heavyweight title to Holyfield in November 1996 through an 11th-round TKO. Their next encounter in 1997 turned controversial, ending with Tyson’s disqualification. Holyfield had the upper hand against his rival in the first three rounds until a visibly irritated Tyson shockingly bit into Holyfield’s right ear, causing a pause in the fight as Tyson was penalised with a two-point deduction.
The match continued, only for Tyson to attempt another bite, this time on Holyfield’s left ear, leading up to a spirited exchange of blows until the round concluded. After the bell rang and instant replays aired, Tyson was disqualified, ensuring Holyfield remained the WBA champion.
The two titans of boxing never clashed in the ring again to fully resolve their rivalry; however, over the years, it looks like they’ve developed a surprising camaraderie. During a heartfelt moment on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009, Tyson made amends with Holyfield, expressing sincere regret for his actions and recognising their shared journey from humble beginnings to revered boxers.
He said: “This is a beautiful guy. Me and this guy come from basically the sewage and we’ve watched each other become established and esteemed fighters, and I just want you to know it’s been a pleasure passing through life and being acquainted with you,” before extending his hand in friendship.
In response, Holyfield said: “Well this is more important for young people around the world to understand that you have conflicts in life. The conflict starts at home…when you talk about biting, I’m the person who bit every brother in my family.”