Why did Mike Tyson never fight Bob Sapp despite call-out? Looking back at their famed beef
Mike Tyson vs. Bob Sapp failed to materialize for several reasons.
While he's largely considered a bit of a joke today, 'The Beast' wasn't always seen that way. In fact, in 2003, he was considered not only a massive draw but a top kickboxer and MMA fighter. In K-1, he captured back-to-back wins over the legendary Ernesto Hoost.
Meanwhile, over in PRIDE, he was undefeated, save for a submission loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Given his fame and star power, especially in Japan, a fight with 'Iron Mike' would make some sense. After a K-1 decision over Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas, Sapp called out Tyson.
Mike Tyson was in attendance that night, charging the ring. Luckily the two didn't get into a full-blown fight, but things were still intense. Sapp and Tyson shouted over how the bout would go, as the boxer wanted it to be held in the boxing ring.
Nonetheless, discussions between the two and K-1 went on for several months that year. Ultimately, Tyson vs. Sapp failed to come together because they couldn't agree on what sport the bout would be in. Furthermore, the boxer had visa problems, and likely couldn't make it to Japan.
While the fight could have been held in Vegas, it would've been far more profitable in Japan given Sapp's popularity. Sadly, fans didn't get to see the bout happen.
Mike Tyson vs. Bob Sapp: Was there another attempt to book the fight?
In 2020, Mike Tyson vs. Bob Sapp nearly happened again.
'Iron Mike' famously announced his plans to come out of retirement in 2020. 15 years after retiring on his stool against Kevin McBride, Tyson was ready to return for a one-off exhibition contest.
In the end, the boxing legend wound up facing another all-time great. Tyson headlined a Triller pay-per-view alongside Roy Jones Jr., with the two former champions fighting to a majority draw. However, as some fans remember, 'Captain Hook' was never the first choice.
Mike Tyson vs. Bob Sapp was actually the first choice for the legend's 2020 comeback. Eventually, the conversation shifted to Evander Holyfield, and lastly Roy Jones Jr. However, 'The Beast' was apparently down for the contest to go down in the boxing ring.
Furthermore, he even took to social media last year to release a callout video. On Instagram, Sapp showed himself in shredded shape, saying in a video:
"Stand up, Marquess of Queensbury Rules. Because you're too scared to fight one on one. I'll take all of you on, punk boxers. That's my challenge, you know my age. Fight me. Or my crew."