Peter “The Hurricane” McNeeley says he is on board to go toe-to-toe with the man dubbed the GOAT for an exhibition match.
Tyson famously battered McNeeley in less than 90 seconds during his famous comeback fight in 1995 – when he made his professional return after a three-year prison sentence having been convicted of rape.
Now in an exclusive interview, McNeeley vowed to avenge his defeat and meet “force with force” should Tyson agree to the rematch.
Reports have already claimed Iron Mike is weighing up a deal for a four round exhibition bout with Evander Holyfield.
Tyson Fury’s dad John, as well as Shannon Briggs, have thrown their names into the running for a fight with Iron Mike.
But Boston brawler McNeeley says that he is ready to “stick it” to Tyson, but not throw bombs – event though he knows that the New Yorker has a superior skill set.
In an in-depth interview, McNeeley opened up about their initial fight in Las Vegas, where he was knocked down twice before his trainer threw in the towel.
Cheerful McNeely reveals he was terrified before the match, even though publicly he’d promised to wreck Tyson’s comeback.
McNeeley was devastated by Tyson’s speed and precision, but also insists his trainers had prepared him well to avoid “damage from power left hooks”.
After the demolition, Tyson and McNeeley became friends three years later with the loser confirming he still has “huge respect and love” for Iron Mike.
But McNeeley feels Muhammed Ali is the greatest to have ever stepped inside a ring, not his friend Tyson.
“Like all things in Mike’s life, this whole thing takes on a life of it own and it rolls into a monster.”
On a potential rematch, McNeeley told SunSport: “Of course I would do it again. It would be a fairytale.
“But the bottom line for the world to be entertained by these Gods, it comes down to one thing – money. It is all about the money!
“It is all about Mike. I can say things, but it is about what he wants to do, because that is what will happen.
“According to Mike he just wants three or four rounds exhibitions for charity. And of course that could be fun.
“But like all things in Mike’s life, this whole thing takes on a life of it own and it rolls into a monster.
“People are saying that he may come back from retirement and is going to fight Holyfield, I mean come on.
“Mike is 53, not in his prime like when we fought 25 years ago. He looks in great shape and maybe he is returning as a pro?
“I do not believe that the WBC would rank him, of course Mike could walk into a press conference tomorrow and say he was signing real contracts and everything changes.
“But hey I am the same weight and size I was back then, but I am not sure if I can throw or take punches like I did then. You only know that when you step in the ring.
“I am not worried for his ring return, but I am not worried. He has huge experience and knows himself.”
McNeeley knows Holyfield may be Tyson’s first challenger given figures of £16million have been raised.
But he urged Tyson to reconsider, saying: “This is the odd thing, Evander already beat Mike 2 and 0, including he one we all remember as the pay per chew – where he bit his ear off.
“So come on, this is not a real No3 fight. People have to got to realise what is real. So I’m not sure if they both need money – that is their business.
“Evander does not have a vast fortune, who really knows. But there is no way it can match what we saw in their fights.”
Reflecting on his own skillset, McNeeley – whose career saw him have a record of 47 fights and seven losses – said: “Have I got gas in the tank? I am walking – so there is gas in the tank.
“I am in good shape – weighing 225lbs – but I am smart enough to know my body was a whole different ball game back then.
“I am lean and mean. At 51 my body is not the same, but who knows – maybe I can take a punch better than I did back then.
“I last sparred about two and a half years, but I work with younger boxers most days.
“I coach a lot of youngsters at the 978 IntenZe (CORR) gym in Lawrence, Massachusetts. I run defence a lot, to aid them their offence. It never leaves you.
“These are great guys at the gym, who do a lot of good for the community especially in this tough city keeping kids, teens and early 20s out of trouble. So this would be nice for them too.”
In 1995, the then-highest ever pay per view TV audience watched clinic Tyson dismantle McNeeley in 89 seconds in Las Vegas.
McNeeley vows that he will repeat the same tactics he adopted that night, despite his disastrous defeat.
He added: “Look I was the only boxer to ever go after Mike from the bell in round one.
“I stuck it to him and I would do the same again if we fought today. You have to meet force with force.
“In a real fight someone is looking to knock you out, set you up and hurt you. Look obviously it is an exhibition match no-one will be throwing bombs, trying to kill.
“But I would not hold back. These types of fights are like light sparring. You show your boxing skills and then get behind your jab for a bit.
“Sure I can box a little, but I am not known for the finesse of someone like Ali.
“Mike has been around the block and can handle himself so it could be fun. Maybe for the second one I could achieve the things I failed to in the first match.”
He added with his enigmatic Boston charm: “It‘d be nice to see Mike again, but to avoid that upper cut.”
McNeeley was lifted from virtual obscurity to face Tyson, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, in front of 16,113 fans at the MGM Grand Garden on August 19, 1995.
The spectacle grossed almost £85million worldwide and set multiple domestic pay-per-view records.
Underdog McNeeley adopted the same tactics as he approached every one of his previous 37 fights.