Mike Tyson makes feelings clear on blockbuster Evander Holyfield trilogy fight after Jake Paul defeat
Mike Tyson has shut the door on a potential trilogy fight with Evander Holyfield following his recent defeat to Jake Paul.
The 58-year-old was beaten by his 27-year-old rival in the early hours of Saturday morning, with Paul winning the bout via unanimous decision.
It is currently unclear if Tyson will return to the ring again. Though he called out Logan Paul in the aftermath of his defeat, he’s since described his loss as his ‘last’ clash in the sport.
During his prime years, Tyson had two blockbuster fights with Holyfield.
Holyfield knocked out his rival in November 1996, with the pair then meeting six months down the line in Las Vegas.
The boxing world was left stunned after Tyson bit Holyfield twice in the rematch, with tempers flaring as both men battled it out.
Tyson was eventually disqualified after the heavyweight icon overstepped the mark.
The pair have since become good friends outside of the ring, having appeared at numerous events together over the years.t
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Holyfield has made it clear he’s open to another fight with Tyson, despite the two men no longer being the athletes they once were.
Yet Iron Mike appears to have now shut down talk of a potential trilogy showdown
Responding to Holyfield’s Instagram post, he said: “I love you brother, but the trilogy os our friendship.”
Holyfield attempted his own boxing comeback three years ago when he fought UFC champion Vitor Belford in an exhibition.
Yet it was Belford who won the clash, with Holyfield struggling after agreeing to the fight at two weeks’ notice.
Meanwhile, Paul has been widely criticised for celebrating his win over Tyson due to the huge age gap between the pair.
But controversial influencer Andrew Tate, speaking on his podcast, has defended the 27-year-old and believes he is putting boxing ‘on the map’.
“Jake’s an okay guy. He’s putting boxing on the map to be fair to him,” he said.
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“To be fair to the guy, he can sell tickets. I mean nobody, and this is with all due respect, should give a s**t about watching a 60-year-old fight a 27-year-old, but Jake can make them care.
“And, because he can make them care, he gets paid more than most boxers will ever make in their entire careers for one fight.”
On potentially fighting Paul himself, Tate added: “There was a time when he (Jake Paul) and I were talking about fighting.
“I think if this arrest didn’t happen, it probably would have come to flourish.
“We will see what happens in the future, we will see perhaps, it’s possible, there’s nothing no, there’s nothing yes.
“We will see, I will skip this matrix attack and perhaps if he (Jake) needs to be taught a lesson, I will be the guy to teach him.”