Published reports say talks are underway for a rematch between former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. If a deal is struck, the two aging fighters may tangle again perhaps as early as this year.
Tyson supposedly has a deal with promoter Don King to get back into the ring; Holyfield is already scheduled to square off in Las Vegas against south African fighter Francois Botha on April 17.
If Tyson and Holyfield do go toe-to-toe again, it will no doubt bring high drama, big ratings and lots of money — at least for the event’s organizers.
13 photos
Tysons Knockout Quotes
“When you see me smash somebody’s skull, you enjoy it.”
“How dare these boxers challenge me with their primitive skills? It makes me angry. They’re just as good as dead.”
“I’m not Mother Teresa. But I’m also not Charles Manson!”
“If I take this camera and put it in your face for 20 years, I don’t know what you might be. You might be a homosexual if I put that camera on you since you were 13 years old. I’ve been on that camera since I was 13 years old.”
“Lennox Lewis, I’m coming for you man. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I’m just ferocious. I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah!”
“I want to rip out his heart and feed it to him [Lennox Lewis]. I want to kill people. I want to rip their stomachs out and eat their children.”
“My main objective is to be professional but to kill him.”
“At times, I come across as crude or crass … like a Neanderthal or a babbling idiot at times. I like to show you all that person because that’s who you come to see.”
“(He) called me a ‘rapist’ and a ‘recluse.’ I’m not a recluse.”
“I’m on the Zoloft (antidepressants) to keep from killing y’all.”
How much the two boxers would get in a potential rematch remains to be seen. Tyson, who’s 43, last fought five year ago. Holyfield is 47. Even with their age, I still think a lot of people would pay money to see them go at it again.
Who can forget the infamous ear-biting incident between these two fierce opponents?
Some may wonder why Tyson and Holyfield would ever want to fight again. Both men have had their share of financial problems. Holyfield has faced foreclosure, lawsuits, and currently owes the IRS a reported $145,000 in back taxes. For his part, Tyson has filed for bankruptcy protection in the past, and blamed some of his financial difficulties on previous managers and advisers. So I suspect that economic issues may be driving them to get back in the ring more than anything else.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Tyson should try for a comeback? And should these two say “yes” to a rematch?
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, an award-winning financial news journalist and former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC, has also been featured in top newspapers including the Washington Post, USA Today, and the New York Times, as well as magazines ranging from Essence and Redbook to Black Enterprise and Smart Money.
