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Tyson Fury says he got a call about fighting Mike Tyson

This seems like a terrible idea that no responsible regulatory commission would green light.

But Tyson Fury says he got a call about fighting Mike Tyson. He made the revelation Tuesday in an interview with BT Sport Boxing.

“I got a phone call saying ‘would you like to fight Mike Tyson in an exhibition fight?’” Fury said. “I was like hell yeah.

“I don’t think anything materialized of it, to be honest.”

Why not?

If both fighters were in their prime, then yes, this sounds like a fantastic fight between two of the sport’s most punishing heavyweights. But they’re not, of course.

Fury, 31, is fresh off of pummeling fellow fearsome fighter Deontay Wilder in a performance that re-energized a heavyweight division that’s largely laid dormant for years.

Tyson, 53, is fresh off appearing in Season 4 of adult-themed Scooby Doo spoof “Mike Tyson Mysteries.”

Tyson Fury said he was offered an exhibition fight against Mike Tyson. (AP/Isaac Brekken)
Tyson Fury said he was offered an exhibition fight against Mike Tyson. (AP/Isaac Brekken)

Is the Tyson comeback real?

Yes, Tyson’s looking especially fit lately. No, he doesn’t belong in a ring with the game’s most dominant heavyweight at his peak, even in an exhibition.

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole recently explained why Tyson fighting fellow 50-something rival Evander Holyfield would be a bad idea. He hasn’t stepped into a ring in 15 years. When he last did, he wasn’t good, finishing his career on a 2-3 run capped by a loss to journeyman Kevin McBride.

Of course an exhibition wouldn’t carry with it the same intensity as an actual prize fight. But the health risks that come with facing Fury just don’t add up.

Which probably explains why nothing has “materialized,” as Fury put it.

It’s fun to think about. But unfortunately, the time machine necessary to make it happen hasn’t been invented.

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