By Matt Lieberman: Evander ‘Real Deal’ Holyfield would like to fight former heavyweight champion ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, but he’s not going to be the one to ask him. This is a fight that could happen. Tyson is feeling confident, and he’s showing speed and power of a much younger fighter in working out.
Holyfield (44-10-2, 29 KOs) has already beaten Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) twice in the 1990s, and he’s not comfortable with asking him now. The only former opponent that the 57-year-old Holyfield would ask for a rematch is Riddick Bowe, who he twice fought in the 90s.
Tyson, 53, and Holyfield will be fighting charity exhibition matches soon and a tremendous amount of interest from boxing fans in seeing those two get it on for the third time.
Holyfield stopped Tyson in the 11th round in their first fight on November 9, 1996. In their rematch on June 28, 1997, Tyson bit off a portion of Holyfield’s right ear in the third round, and he was immediately disqualified. Tyson was upset at the time after Holyfield had accidentally head-butted him.
Holyfield talks trilogy with Tyson
“It wouldn’t be no problem,” said Holyfield to TMZ when asked if he’d like to fight Tyson. “I don’t think it would bother me to do so. The fighters that take care of themselves are the ones that last, even though I’m four years older than him. It wouldn’t be any problem.
“Yeah, I’m that way with anybody really, but I don’t want them to think this is a life or death situation, you know?” said Holyfield when asked if he really wants the Tyson trilogy match.
At this point, Tyson may have too much for Holyfield, and he could stop him if he’s able to connect with some of his power shots. If Tyson focuses his shots to the body of Holyfield rather than his head, he’ll have an excellent chance of stopping him.
If Holyfield and Tyson do fight, it would be a three-round exhibition, so they would need to go all out if there was to a knockout. Holyfield last fought in 2011, and Tyson in 2005.
Evander WON’T ask Tyson for the third fight
“The only person I would ask is Riddick Bowe because he and I are buddies,” said Holyfield in response to a question of whether he would ask Tyson for a trilogy match. “Some people didn’t get a chance to see Mike and me.
“The ear represents $35 million. For a guy to get $35 million in nine minutes, that’s amazing,” said Holyfield on his third-round disqualification win over Tyson in their rematch in June 1997.
It might work against Holyfield if he pressures Tyson for a third fight, given that he’s beaten him twice already. Tyson knows that Holyfield wants to fight him again, and it’s up to him whether he wants to meet his challenge.
James Toney, Oliver McCall, and Shanon Briggs are also interested in exhibition matches. There are a lot of different guys that Tyson and Holyfield can face if they choose to have a series of exhibition fights for charity.
