Mike Tyson Announces He’s Facing Boxing Legend in September

Mike Tyson may not be facing Evander Holyfield for the third time, but he’s set to face another boxing legend later this year. TMZ recently caught up with Tyson, and he revealed he’s set to face boxing great Lennox Lewis.

“I’m gonna fight Lennox Lewis, September,” Tyson, 54, announced as he was on the way out of Catch in Los Angeles. There’s no word from Lewis about Tyson’s claim, but if it does happen, it would be the second time the two have faced each other in the ring. The first meeting came in 2002 in Memphis Tennessee, and Lewis knocked Tyson out in the eighth round to retain the WBC, IBF, IBO and The Ring Heavyweight Championships. Lewis had one more fight after the Tyson bout, taking down Vitali Klitschko to end his career as a champion. Lewis, 55, is considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time and one of the greatest British boxers of all time.

“I’m proud to have returned the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world to England, a nation with a historic boxing tradition, and to have been the first heavyweight champion from England since Bob Fitzsimmons more than a century ago, Lewis said in his retirement speech in 2004. I am particularly pleased to be stepping down while still the reigning lineal heavyweight champion. Only two other men, Gene Tinney and Rocky Marciano, have retired as champion and stayed retired. I promise you, I will be the third.”

Tyson’s last fight was an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in November, which ended in a draw. After the fight, he said he was looking to compete in more matches, and the thought was he was going to face Holyfield. Back in March, Tyson said he was going to return to the ring on May 29, with fans assuming he was going to face Holyfield.

“My side tried to make the fight happen and we got nothing but excuses,” Holyfield said in a news release back in December. “Now I can see why he wanted a tuneup fight before thinking about fighting me. No more excuses. This is the fight that must happen for both our legacies. Saturday night you said you were ready to fight me, so sign the contract and get in the ring, Tyson. The world is waiting and it’s on you now. I’m ready.”