Mike Tyson is 'too SCARED' to take on old nemesis Evander Holyfield in trilogy bout

Mike Tyson is ‘too SCARED’ to take on old nemesis Evander Holyfield in a trilogy bout, says Triller boss, despite ‘massive payday’ for the exhibition as he claims the heavyweight legend prefers a rematch with Lennox Lewis

  • Heavyweight icon Mike Tyson is looking to stage another exhibition fight  
  • Triller CEO Ryan Kavanaugh claims he is ‘too scared’ to face Evander Holyfield  
  • He said the company had made a ‘massive’ offer to put on the trilogy bout 
  • Tyson returned to the ring at the age of 54 against Roy Jones Jr last year


Mike Tyson does not want to pursue a third fight with old enemy Evander Holyfield because he is ‘too scared’ he will be knocked out, according to the man attempting to stage the exhibition bout. 

The heavyweight icon is looking to make another return to the ring after his comeback against Roy Jones Jr last year and has been linked with a rematch against another former opponent in Lennox Lewis. 

Many boxing fans have called for him to take on Holyfield once more after two memorable fights between the pair in the 1990s – the latter of which saw Tyson disqualified after biting his opponent’s ear.  

Mike Tyson is 'too scared' to take on old foe Evander Holyfield, according to Triller's CEO

Mike Tyson is ‘too scared’ to take on old foe Evander Holyfield, according to Triller’s CEO 

Tyson - who made his comeback against Roy Jones Jr last year - fears he will be knocked out by Holyfield, claims Ryan Kavanaugh

Tyson – who made his comeback against Roy Jones Jr last year – fears he will be knocked out by Holyfield, claims Ryan Kavanaugh

But Ryan Kavanaugh, the CEO of entertainment platform Triller, which has put on a series of high-profile exhibition fights, claims Tyson is afraid of stepping back into the ring with Holyfield despite offering ‘Iron Mike’ a ‘massive payday’. 

‘We know he is trying to stage a fight with Lennox Lewis,’ he told Sky Sports.

‘We have been told that he is scared to fight Evander. There has been back and forth hoopla, there is a massive payday ready for Mike to fight on Thanksgiving. A massive payday, one of his biggest! But we can’t seem to push it along. 

He suggested that Iron Mike (L) would rather face another ex-opponent in Lennox Lewis (C)

He suggested that Iron Mike (L) would rather face another ex-opponent in Lennox Lewis (C)

Holyfield is set to make his own boxing return on Saturday against ex-UFC star Vitor Belfort

Holyfield is set to make his own boxing return on Saturday against ex-UFC star Vitor Belfort

‘Now I have heard, from a number of reliable sources, that Mike is too scared. He thinks Evander would knock him out. We have an offer out to Mike [to fight Holyfield].

‘I wouldn’t ask nobody to do anything they don’t want to do. But it’s for charity. If we can work something out that works for everybody then it’s a win-win-win.’

Holyfield will follow Tyson by making his own return to boxing on Saturday against former UFC star Vitor Belfort, replacing Oscar De La Hoya. 

Tyson and Holyfield first locked horns in 1996, with the latter stopping his opponent in the 11th round to claim his WBA world title belt. The pair squared off again as Tyson sought revenge, but he was spectacularly disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear not once, but twice.

Tyson and Holyfield fought twice - the second of which saw the former bite his opponent's ear

Tyson and Holyfield fought twice – the second of which saw the former bite his opponent’s ear

Iron Mike had claimed he was responding to headbutting from Holyfield, which made him ‘want to kill him’. The fight is one of the most talked about in the history of the sport but the pair never faced each other again. 

Holyfield went on to lose his titles to Lewis following two fights with the British heavyweight – a draw and a unanimous points loss. He would become a four-time champion the following year after beating John Ruiz, and then a fifth time in 2010 with a knockout win over Frans Botha, before retiring in 2014.

Tyson never rose to the summit of boxing again after taking on Holyfield, attempting to become unified champion against Lewis in 2002, before suffering a knockout in the eighth round. 

source: dailymail.co.uk