In the immediate aftermath of November’s exhibition match between former heavyweight champs Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr., Evander Holyfield made it abundantly clear that he wanted that smoke with Iron Mike, too.
“No more excuses,” Holyfield said in a statement. “This is the fight that must happen for both our legacies. [...] You said you were ready to fight me, so sign the contract and get in the ring, Tyson. The world is waiting and it’s on you now. I’m ready.”
And now, after months of contentious negotiations, I’m happy to report that Tyson and Holyfield will be beating the shit out of each other for a third time on May 29, during Memorial Day weekend. Tyson made the announcement on Tuesday during an Instagram Live session with luxury publication Haute Living.
“I just want everybody to know the fight is on with me and Holyfield,” he said. “Holyfield’s a humble man, I know that. And he’s a man of God. But I’m God’s man. Listen, I’m going to be successful May 29.”
Oh, word?
If I sound a bit confused, that’s because as recently as Monday, Holyfield’s reps said the fight was off.
“We thought this was a done deal but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers,” Holyfield’s manager, Kris Lawrence, said in a statement. “We were negotiating in good faith all along and it appears we just ended up wasting our time.”
Well, apparently they’ve been able to resolve whatever issues they had and get everything figured out—or not.
“There’s a small, fundamental difference to get some paperwork done, and then it’s on to the races with me and Evander,” Tyson said on Tuesday. “I’ve learned so much. We don’t need promoters. What’s a promoter? Overrated cheerleader?”
Soooooo y’all throwing hands or nah?
There’s also the ugly situation between Tyson’s team and social video platform Triller that has yet to be resolved as well. Triller worked hand-in-hand with Tyson in putting together his last bout with Jones Jr., but apparently, the milk has soured and now the boxer formerly known as The Baddest Man on the Planet wants nothing to do with Triller moving forward.
How do I know this? Because he said as much on Instagram:
OK, then.
It’s clear there are some particulars that still need to be worked out, but all signs point to 58-year-old Holyfield and 54-year-old Tyson locking horns in the ring this Memorial Day weekend.
Me and my bucket of popcorn will be front and center.