It looks like there will be a Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield fight after all. On Tuesday, Tyson revealed that the fight between him and his former rival would happen on May 29. The only thing that needs to happen next is finalizing the paperwork.
“There’s a small, fundamental difference to get some paperwork done, and then it’s on to the races with me and Evander,” Tyson said in an interview on social media. “I’ve learned so much. We don’t need promoters. What’s a promoter? Overrated cheerleader? …I just want everyone to know, the fight is on with me and Holyfield. Holyfield’s a humble man, I know that and he’s a man of God, but I’m God’s man, and I’m listening, and I’m gonna be successful May 29.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
This comes after Holyfield’s team revealing the fight wasn’t happening because they couldn’t agree to a deal with Tyson’s camp. “We thought this was a done deal, but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers,” Kris Lawrence told TMZ earlier this week. “We were negotiating in good faith all along, and it appears we just ended up wasting our time.”
Tyson announced on his podcast last week that’s he’s returning to the ring on May 29 but didn’t reveal who he would be facing. It was reported that Tyson wanted a bigger cut when it comes to the profits from the fight and even turned down $25 million guaranteed.
“Team Holyfield sincerely believed a deal was imminent, especially after the Hard Rock threw its support behind the project, and there were multiple other offers conveyed to Team Tyson,” Holyfield’s camp said in a statement. “However, Team Tyson’s demands recently became untenable, and not what Mike Tyson had originally agreed on in direct conversations with Holyfield.”
If Tyson vs. Holyfield does happen, this will be the third time the two boxing legends have faced in the ring. In 1996, Holyfield defeated Tyson via TKO in the 11th round. In 1997, Tyson was disqualified after biting Holyfield’s ear in the third round. Tyson last competed in a match in November when he battled Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout. Holyfield’s last match was in 2011 when he defeated Brian Nielsen in the 10th round via TKO.
