Posted on 03/25/2021
By: Hans Themistode
First, they were on, then they were off – then they were on and now, they are apparently back off.
Recently, former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson revealed that a third showdown with long-time rival Evander Holyfield was essentially set in stone.
“I just want everybody to know, the fight is on with me and Holyfield,” said Tyson during an interview with Haute Living.
With Holyfield officially holding the edge 2-0 due to back-to-back wins over Tyson in the mid-90s, the 2011 Hall of Famer appeared confident as ever that things will turn in his favor this time around.
“Holyfield is a humble man. I know that he’s a man of God but I’m God’s man. I’m going to be successful May 29th.”
But while fans of Tyson immediately rejoiced, their excitement will be short-lived. According to a report from TMZ, a rep from Tyson’s camp shot down any hope that a matchup between the pair will actually take place.
In regards to Tyson’s comments, the former champ reportedly misspoke. At the moment, a deal is far from happening. While it isn’t out of the realm of possibility, the rep showed no faith in both sides coming to an actual agreement.
The biggest hold-up in their negotiations stems from dollar signs. Holyfield alleges that both he and Tyson agreed to a 50/50 split as early as last year. Fast forward to today, however, and the pair are far apart financially.
Earlier this week, manager of Holyfield in Kris Lawrence stated that Tyson was offered 25 million dollars to step into the ring Holyfield. Yet, those numbers were reportedly turned down.
“We thought this was a done deal but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers,” said Lawrence. “We were negotiating in good faith all along and it appears we just ended up wasting our time.”
Despite the up and down negotiations, Tyson is still reportedly returning to the ring on May 29th. Against whom and where exactly, is an open-ended question.