Mike Tyson has reportedly been offered the chance to step back into the boxing ring to face one of mixed martial arts` most celebrated figures.
The iconic heavyweight boxer recently made a controversial return in November, participating in a highly-publicized crossover event against Jake Paul that garnered over 100 million views on Netflix. However, his performance raised concerns, partly due to health issues that led to the fight being postponed past his 58th birthday.
Now, the head of Kazakhstan`s Alash Pride League is presenting Tyson with a potential new opponent – a legendary heavyweight from the MMA world, whom commentator Joe Rogan has hailed as the greatest of all time, despite his notable career taking place outside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Mike Tyson Receives Comeback Offer Against Fedor Emelianenko
Despite the mixed reactions to his recent outing against Jake Paul, significant public interest remains in seeing Mike Tyson compete. He stands as one of the most popular fighters ever, continuing to fascinate fans even as he approaches the age of 60.
The Kazakh promotion, Alash Pride FC, is aiming to arrange a bout between Tyson and the legendary MMA heavyweight champion, Fedor Emelianenko. They have even set a tentative date in December for an event they hope would feature the two icons in the main event.
Alimzhan Bektaev, President of APL, confirmed these intentions recently, stating: “We are planning a bout between Mike Tyson and Fedor Emelianenko. Work in this direction is already underway… The tournament where we want to invite Mike Tyson is scheduled for December.”
Fedor Emelianenko Has Previously Commented on a Mike Tyson Fight
When Tyson initially returned to the ring for a pandemic-era exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr., Emelianenko was among the interested viewers. That event sold 1.8 million pay-per-views and led to various propositions, including early discussions about a potential clash between the two combat sports legends.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour in 2023, Emelianenko was questioned about the prospect of facing Tyson and told host Ariel Helwani: “We watched the fight on TV of Roy Jones Jr. vs. Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson would be an interesting fight.”
He further commented on Tyson: “He has a big name, he’s a legend… It would be interesting because you can see a lot of his videos on YouTube and all over the place, he’s still in good shape. He still works pads, he still has that same power.”
