Could it be that living legend Mike Tyson will engage in another fight, another comeback, before his fighting days are finally over, this at age 59 (on June 30)? Reports out of Kazakhstan that have gathered some pace suggest Tyson could, should he accept the offer that has been presented to him, face Fedor Emelianenko this December.
As per a statement from Alash Pride League (APL) president Alimzhan Bektaev, “Iron Mike” has been offered a fight with the MMA legend.
“We are planning a bout between Mike Tyson and Fedor Emelianenko. Work in this direction is already underway,” Bektaev said. “The tournament, where we want to invite Tyson, is scheduled for December.”
Will Tyson really say yes—again?
So, who knows if this fight, this bout, will actually happen. It seems that, as long as Tyson is still this side of 65, people some place will continue offering him paydays to come back and fight again. Tyson looked pretty dreadful in his recent Box Office hit of a fight with Jake Paul, and it sure wasn’t at all pretty to look at.
Now, as he approaches his 59th birthday, here’s the one-time “Baddest Man on the Planet” being enticed to fight again.
Is it boxing, exhibition, or just another cash grab?
At this point, it’s not clear what rules Tyson and Emelianenko would fight under should their bout take place, and neither is it clear whether the bout would be a mere exhibition affair (this the most likely scenario, one would think) or a “real fight.”
Tyson is still a star, far more so than so many active, world class fighters, and that’s a sad reflection on the sport. As for 48 year old Emelianenko, he said a few months back that he wants to try his hand at boxing, with him saying he is very interested in fighting either Tyson or Roy Jones, this as he would swap the cage for the squared circle.
Again, will we see the youngest ever heavyweight champ back in the ring one more time? Will people ever leave Mike in peace?