The UFC president Dana White said Mike Tyson has something 'big' lined up, as speculation grows that he's about to come out of retirement
by Brianna Moné- Mike Tyson apparently has “something big” lined up regarding a rumored return to the ring.
- That is according to the UFC boss Dana White, a long-time friend of the former heavyweight boxing champion.
- Tyson said in April that he wanted to compete in three or four round exhibition bouts which could raise money for charity.
- Since then he’s been inundated with offers – one of which was a $20 million fee to fight in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
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The UFC president Dana White said Mike Tyson has something lined up – “something big.”
Tyson attracted headlines when in April he said on his podcast that he wanted to return to the ring to fight three or four-round exhibition bouts, raising money to “help some homeless and drug-affected mother-f—– like me.”
Since then, he has been inundated with challengers and apparent offers from MMA fighters like Tito Ortiz, to box professionally against an Italian called Juiseppe Angelo Cusumano, or to even trade bareknuckle blows for a reported $20 million against Shannon Briggs.
When White, who is a friend of Tyson’s, first heard about a comeback, he said he had his doubts. “Originally, I came out and said, ‘Listen, I’d like Mike not to fight,'” he told ESPN.
“I even got Mike a TV show, to try and keep him from fighting. But Mike Tyson is a grown man, he can do whatever. The guy is powerful, looks explosive and has gotten himself in great shape.
“From what I’m hearing from them, they have something lined up, something big,” White said.
“He’s going to get in there. We talked about it and he said: ‘Listen, I feel that fire in my stomach. I want to get in there and mix it up again.’
“I’m fully supportive of him.”
Of all the rumors, the safest option is likely a non-professional charity match against his old boxing rival Evander Holyfield, having fought twice in the 1990s.
Whoever Tyson fights, White would be desperate to attend and said he would do what he could to circumvent restrictions on prohibiting fans from attending.
“I’ll be at this one, I will absolutely go. I don’t care if there’s no crowd allowed. I’ll figure out how to get into that one.”
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