Mike Tyson rejects Evander Holyfield’s challenge to third fight
Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield wants a piece of his old rival, Iron Mike Tyson, but Tyson isn't biting.
Evander Holyfield wants a piece of his old rival, Iron Mike Tyson. But Tyson isn’t biting.
Holyfield, 62, extended the challenge to the 58-year-old former champion Monday on Instagram.
“The fans want it,” Holyfield wrote alongside an ad promoting “The Trilogy” with a doctored photo of himself and Tyson in their prime.
He added the hashtag “unfinished business.”
Tyson laced up the gloves for what appears to be the last time over the weekend for a match with 27-year-old social media influencer Jake Paul. The former heavyweight champ was in great shape, but only a shadow of his former self in that uneventful eight-round bout.
Holyfield, who was also a heavyweight champion, first fought Tyson in 1996. That highly anticipated match ended with the referee stopped the fight in the 11th round when it became clear Tyson was outmatched. The pair met up again in 1997. That rematch famously ended with Tyson biting off a chunk of Holyfield’s ear and losing by disqualification. Though the pair have since patched things up, Tyson declined Holyfield’s challenge to a third bout.
“I love you brother, but the trilogy is our friendship,” he replied on Instagram.
The reaction on social media was a combination of fight fans wanting to see Holyfield and Tyson in the ring a third time and fans of the pair agreeing with Tyson that enough is enough.
Tyson appears content to end his boxing career with the loss to Paul.
“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won,” he posted after Friday night’s fight. “No regrets to get in [the] ring one last time.”
Tyson added that he was happy his six children got to see their dad fight in front of a soldout crowd. Celebrities including martial arts star Chuck Norris also watched Tyson mix it up with Paul.
“We’re all proud of you, Mike,” Norris posted on Instagram. “Once a warrior, always a warrior.”
Actor Jamie Foxx, who signed on to play Tyson in a film project that’s status is unclear, also weighed in to praise the celebrated fighter on Instagram where he simply wrote “icon” next to Tyson’s posting.
Fortune said Tyson likely earned around $20 million from his fight with Paul.
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