The 56-year-old fought Roy Jones Jr. under non-professional rules in November 2020. Tyson vs Jones surpassed 1.5 million Pay Per View buys and seemed to be the dawn of a new era.
Bringing back the legends of the past was the next fad in boxing during the pandemic. However, things went quiet after Evander Holyfield got knocked out in one round by Vitor Belfort.
It’s as if there was a realization that things could go badly wrong if the fight weren’t held under the right circumstances.
Mike Tyson comeback videos:
Tyson captured the world’s attention with short video clips of himself hitting the pads. He showed that he still has the trademark power that helped him become a global star in the 80s and 90s.
Those images and moving pictures stirred enough interest for a multi-million dollar paycheck that eventually turned sour. This may have contributed to Tyson’s decision not to enter the ring in the two years since.
The former world champion is still in tremendous shape after previously stating he planned on making a comeback to the sweet science, with his goal being to raise money for charity.
Multi-fight exhibition offer:
He even received an offer from a promoter giving him a chance to sign a multi-fight deal.
American Dream Presents, Sterling Promotions, and James Wilent of J3G Global wanted to help Tyson achieve his goal and presented Iron Mike with a substantial offer for a series of multiple exhibition fights.
“Mike looks like he is in tremendous shape and has the fire back. What is better than a motivated Mike Tyson in the ring?
“He has always been must-see tv. We want to help him reach his goals to raise money for his various causes,” said American Dream Presents CEO Ron Johnson.
Under the terms of the agreement, Tyson would have received a hefty deposit when his services were secured. The remainder of the purse for the first fight would be held in escrow.
However, his purses would increase throughout the rest of his contract:
The goal was to “immediately get to work to bring “The Baddest Man on the Planet” back to the forefront of the boxing and sports world in general.”
After reviewing the deal, Tyson passed.
It’s unlikely we’ll ever see Mike back in the ring again.