Los Angeles (AFP)
What if the fantasy of boxing fans came true? Evander Holyfield claimed that discussions existed with Mike Tyson for an exhibition fight, which would be the third between the two ex-heavyweights, even if no "agreement was found".
"His camp has spoken to mine and we have not yet found a solid agreement, but we are going in that direction," Holyfield told The 3 Point Conversion radio.
"If it is done, then it is not a problem. It turns out that (Tyson) was doing something and that I too was doing something. When I told people about it, they saw me working and they sort of brought us together. Everything has to be together, but I don't mind if we do something like that, "he added.
Sunday a poster appeared on Twitter announcing the holding of a "Tyson-Holyfield 3" on July 11 in Diriyah in Saudi Arabia, where the Briton Anthony Joshua recovered these WBA, IBF, WBO heavyweight belts against the American Andy Ruiz in December. But there is no mention of any promoter or television channel, as is generally the case by way of formalization.
In the meantime, in recent days the 50-something have expressed their intention to return to the ring and released videos showing them in training. Tyson, 53, demonstrating power and speed in his surly sequences, punctuated by a threatening "I'm back". Holyfield, 57, pronouncing these same words, more calmly, after extracts where we also see him tapping and jumping rope.
If a friendship was born between them after their retirement, their rivalry was memorable in the 1990s punctuated by two victories for Holyfield. The first saw him snatch his opponent's WBA belt by stopping the referee in the 11th round, after an epic fight. The second was incredible, Tyson having been disqualified after the 3rd resumption, after having bitten the left ear of Holfield, exasperated by his head shots.
The prospect of a third confrontation, certainly without stake but new for this age group, would have the look of a revival for the queen category which currently benefits from a great revival of interest, with the duels between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. The first had spectacularly dethroned the second for the WBC title in February, after a draw in their first fight.
© 2020 AFP