"He have to want to do this" - Evander Holyfield claims he's ready to fight Mike Tyson in a trilogy bout
Evander Holyfield recently claimed he's ready to fight Mike Tyson for the third time. However, the heavyweight boxing icon is only willing to do it in one condition:
"He have to want to do this," Holyfield said during an interview with FightHype.com. "He have to want to do it. It's not that I don't want to do it, but he has to want to do it for something to work. Now, things have to work for both people."
Holyfield isn't inclined to call Tyson out and coerce him into agreeing to a fight. The former heavyweight world champion has likened such a scenario to "bullying" and said he would only agree to a trilogy match if Tyson had a desire to do so.
For now, though, the only man Holyfield has to worry about is former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort. 'The Real Deal' is gearing up for an in-ring return against the Brazilian MMA star.
Evander Holyfield came in as a late replacement for Oscar De La Hoya, who was forced to withdraw from his fight with Belfort after contracting a severe case of COVID-19.
Watch Evander Holyfield talk about a potential trilogy bout with Mike Tyson:
Evander Holyfield's history with Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield is easily one of the most iconic rivalries in sports. The pair of legendary heavyweight boxers fought twice, with Holyfield coming out on top both times.
In their first go-round on November 9, 1996, Holyfield stopped Tyson via TKO in the 11th round of their championship match. The rematch saw one of the most memorable moments in boxing history. Frustrated by getting bested by his opponent once again, Tyson bit off a chunk of Holyfield's ear.
Tyson was disqualified for his antics and temporarily lost his professional boxing license. Several years later, Tyson apologized for his actions and Holyfield was quick to forgive. The two men have been friends ever since, even appearing in a cameo from the movie 'Grudge Match' together.