Mike Tyson wants to beat up Floyd Mayweather, bring back his stage show
Mike Tyson is a man of many interests. He’s presenting his inaugural Mike Tyson Invitational boxing event in March. He’s still lording over his cannabis company, which is going international. He plans to bring back his one-man stage show to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
But first things first: Why is he fighting Floyd Mayweather?
“I was in retirement, and he challenged me,” Tyson says in a phone chat. “I was just minding my own business.”
Or, businesses, as the case may be. But what benefit can be gained, other than financial, by stepping into the ring with a fellow fistic retiree?
“I have a chance to kick Floyd’s a--,” says Tyson, who turns 60 in May.
The bout will be April 25 in the Congo, as first reported by Ring Magazine. This is the former Zaire, where Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in 1974’s “Rumble in the Jungle.”
Aside from his exhibition with Mayweather, who turns 49 on Feb. 24, Tyson is excited for his new amateur boxing event. The invitational will run from March 12 to 14 at the Radiant Brand Complex in Las Vegas.
The first night is an “intimate” talk by Tyson. The second is an open workout. The third is the amateur fight night and is the only of the three dates currently on sale (the others will be up “soon”; go to miketysoninvitational.com for intel).
Tyson says he wants to instill discipline, mentorship and the opportunity to develop boxing skills at a young age. He is selecting the combatants himself, to ensure quality and competitive balance, though he stresses, “I’m a matchmaker. I’m not a promoter.”
The former heavyweight champ is nostalgic about his own amateur career. Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, and he won gold again at the National Golden Gloves in 1984. But he lost in the U.S. Olympic Trials to eventual Olympic cruiserweight gold medalist Henry Tillman.
Tyson noted such career-building triumphs as championships at the Ohio State Fair and the national Golden Gloves tournament, among others.
“I’m just excited because it takes me back to my beginnings, at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center and Empire State Games in New York,” Tyson says. “Those were the most important days of my life, as an amateur. Everything consists of you being in shape.”
Tyson also reminisces about concerts at Madison Square Garden, starring such headliners as soul star Teena Marie and R&B legends Kool & The Gang. This was a place to be seen.
“The first thing a fighter would say, when I was a young kid, was, ‘I’m gonna be ripped when I go to the club, or go to the concert,” Tyson says. “That’s all we thought about. Getting in good shape, and people looking at it. But it’s not like that anymore.”
Tyson also wants to help reinforce the status of the U.S. in Olympic boxing. Andre Ward, in 2004, is the only male Olympic gold-medal winner from the U.S. this century. Claressa Shields captured gold for the American women in 2012 and 2016. (Tyson’s event is open to male and female fighters.)
“Boxing was the heartbeat of the Olympics, and I want to build that back up again, all the boxing clubs and all these boxing tournaments to keep our fighters in shape,” Tyson says. “That’s why all the other countries are beating us. They’ve got 300, 400 amateur fights. We’ve got guys with 35, 40 amateur fights, and fighting these guys for gold medals.”
He has filmed the latest incarnation of his one-man show, “Return of the Mike,” at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, in December. The show toured four Hard Rock Hotel resorts from November through January. Plans are for the special to stream on Netflix this spring.
Tyson hosted a version of the show, an unfiltered account of his life and career, at the MGM Grand in 2012, returning in 2016-17. But he’s in a New York state of mind for its reboot.
“I want to do it in Radio City Music Hall, that’s my goal,” the pugilist-turned-headliner says. “It’s a different kind of work, but I love it. I love anything with a live audience.”
Contact John Katsilometes at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
