If Mike Tyson fans want to see him get back in the ring, UFC legend Tito Ortiz is giving them some hope, because he said he’s received an offer to fight The Baddest Man on the Planet.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Ortiz said he got a phone call asking him what he’d think about fighting Tyson. “I was like, ‘Really? This is the opportunity of my life. I’m in!'” he said.
The 45-year-old Ortiz is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer, who is known for putting mixed martial arts on the map alongside the likes of Ken Shamrock, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin. Whether he would face Tyson in a boxing ring or an MMA cage is something Ortiz said he’s not sure about, but he’s confident he could pull out a win over “Iron Mike” either way.
“I’ve been boxing for 20 years and my boxing skills have gotten better and better,” Ortiz said. “It may not be on the same level as Tyson, but has Tyson been punched in the face in the last 15 years? No, he hasn’t, and I have. And I’ve been able to subdue everyone I’ve competed against over the past four years.”
Indeed, Ortiz has stayed active since leaving UFC in 2012, with recent victories including a knockout win over Chuck Liddell in 2018 and a submission victory over former WWE champion Albert El Patron in 2019. Tyson, meanwhile, has not stepped into the ring since famously quitting in the middle of a match against Irish journeyman Kevin McBride in 2005.
But Ortiz’s remarks come just a couple weeks after Tyson revealed that, at the age of 53, he wants to put his gloves back on again. In an Instagram post, Tyson showed off his punching skills, as he’s started a rigorous workout program to get back into fighting shape. In his own interview with TMZ, Tyson says he’s open for any fight, provided that it’s for charity.
A Tyson vs. Ortiz fight would surely draw comparisons to the boxing/MMA crossover fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, which ended in Mayweather scoring a tenth round TKO victory and earning a payday of $230 million in one of the most lucrative fights in boxing history.
“Anybody that’s willing to contribute to this charity, they’re welcome to come and challenge me,” Tyson said. “I would be open for anyone.”
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The British actor said he is asymptomatic and encourages people to stay pragmatic.Photo credit: Getty ImagesLucian Grainge, longtime chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, tested positive for the coronavirus and has been hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. On April 6, he sent a memo to staff saying he was going to make a full recovery. Photo credit: Getty ImagesKristofer Hivju posted on Instagram Monday that he tested positive for the coronavirus. The "Game of Thrones" alum is set to star on season 2 of Netflix's "The Witcher." Photo credit: Getty ImagesRachel Matthews, the voice of Honeymaren in "Frozen II" and an actress known for "Looking for Alaska" and "Happy Death Day 2 You," said in a series of posts on her Instagram story (via Page Six) that she tested positive for the coronavirus. Matthews described her symptoms over the course of a week in her posts and added that she found tests for the virus "INSANELY hard to come by." Photo credit: Getty ImagesKevin Durant, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and currently a player for the Brooklyn Nets, was one of four players who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to The Athletic. "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this," he told The Athletic.Photo credit: Getty ImagesActor Daniel Dae Kim announced on Instagram Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. “For all those out there, especially teenagers and millennials who think this is not serious, please know that it is,” the former "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-0" star pleaded. He has since recovered from the virus.Photo credit: Getty ImagesPrince Albert of Monaco is the first known head of state to contract the coronavirus.Photo credit: Getty ImagesSean Payton told ESPN he tested positive for the coronavirus. 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Getty Images"Love Song" singer and Broadway star of the musical "Waitress" Sara Bareilles revealed she had tested positive for the virus and is already feeling better, she said in an Instagram story Friday.Getty ImagesCNN anchor Brooke Baldwin tested positive for coronavirus despite practicing social distancing. "I am okay," she posted on Instagram. "It came on suddenly yesterday afternoon. Chills, aches, fever. I’ve been social distancing. Doing ALL the things we’re being told to do. Still — it got me."CNNChristopher Cross, the singer-songwriter best known for "Sailing," announced he tested positive for cornonavirus in a lengthy Instagram post. "Although I am fortunate enough to be cared for at home, this is possibly the worst illness I've ever had," he wrote.Jessie Pearl/Wikimedia CommonsThe pop singer Pink revealed on Twitter that she tested positive for coronavirus but said that after two weeks of self-isolating, she then tested negative for COVID-19 and had recovered. 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He said on Twitter, "This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones."Getty ImagesNeera Tanden, who the president of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress and a frequent guest on "Real Time With Bill Maher," MSNBC, CNN and Fox News, announced on Twitter on May 23 that she has the coronavirus. "I only went out for necessities and wore masks," she wrote. "This is obviously a very transmissible virus. People need to take a lot of care and the idea we can just reopen is very scary."Getty ImagesStars Who Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus (Photos) Tom Hanks, Idris Elba and Prince Charles have all come down with COVID-19 View In Gallery
