M. Tyson (left) and E. Holyfield (right) fought one of the greatest rivalries in boxing history. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS montage
Bad news for nostalgic boxing fans. The awaited – by many – trilogy between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson may not happen. According to the former world champion's manager, Kris Lawrence, 'Iron Mike' turned down an offer of US$25 million (around R$138 million) to return to share the ring against his former rival. The information was released by Holyfield's team.
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“We thought it was a done deal, but it started to get complicated after Mike's representatives started denying the offers. We were negotiating in good faith all along, but it seems like we wasted our time,” Lawrence said.
According to Evander's representatives, the confrontation was scheduled to take place on May 29, at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami (USA). The duel would mark the reunion between boxing legends in a confrontation after almost 24 years.
Former heavyweight champions in the 'noble art', Tyson and Holyfield, today, over 50 years old, are two of the biggest names in the sport. Between the 80s and 90s, fighters marked an era and consolidated their names in boxing.
The athletes faced each other on two occasions, in 1996 and 1997, both for the World Boxing Association (WBA) title. In a great phase, Evander emerged victorious in both disputes; in the last one, the historic episode occurred, when Tyson bit and tore off part of his opponent's ear, subsequently being disqualified.
In 2020, Mike returned to action for an exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. With rules adapted to preserve the integrity of the fighters, the 'Iron Man' impressed with his movement, even at 54 years old and without fighting for over 15. After the clash, Holyfield started to challenge his old rival, who initially accepted the proposal.
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