The idea of Tyson Fury facing off against Mike Tyson, even if it would have only been in an exhibition matchup, would be poetic. The two fighters share more in common than just their name, as they both have both spent a significant amount of time as the best fighters in the industry. The opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time for Fury, as it would be the perfect fight to capitalize on his current popularity leading up to a third bout against Deontay Wilder. The ferocious heavyweight also has a possible unifying fight against Anthony Joshua coming up later this year. 

 

Unfortunately, the potential super fight with Tyson recently slipped through the cracks. The two sides could not come to an agreement on the bout.

 

“There was talk of it. I was contacted by Mike Tyson’s people. It was definitely real, but nothing ever materialized with it,” Fury told IFL TV. “They were offering the money to Mike, and they came back and offered us peanuts. Mike Tyson was talking to me like $500 million. I did have the offer on the table from ESPN of $10 million to do the fight like an exhibition.”

 

The absurdly large amount of money requested by Tyson was not the only issue that got in the way of the fight. Fury also believed that there was no incentive for him to fight the legend, especially coming off of his brilliant victory over Deontay Wilder in February, which he won in the seventh-round by way of TKO. He felt that taking the fight was a lose-lose for him, considering his status as an established top-heavyweight in the industry. 

 

“I would have just loved to share the ring with Mike Tyson. But, you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” Fury said. “If he hits me with a few shots, people will say Tyson Fury is no good, and a 53-year-old man beat him up. But if I wallop Mike in the first round, then I’m a bully. I might be gaining some money, but it’s money that I don’t need to gain from fighting a man who is past his best.” 

 

While it is certainly understandable that Fury wouldn’t have wanted to risk the potential downside of taking the fight, it is still disappointing that the once-in-a-lifetime fight will not take place. For Tyson, it was probably for the best that nothing was planned. While Tyson may be preparing a comeback to the ring eventually, evidenced by the fact that his training videos have been gaining attention online, Fury would not be the kind of fighter that one would want to face in their first bout in over 15 years. The sheer size difference between the two men alone would’ve made the matchup seem more like a carnival side-show than a high-quality fight.