Mike Tyson is back in excellent shape judging by the recently uploaded video clip of him hitting the pads with fantastic speed for a 53-year-old former champ, and now “Iron Mike” is being offered big money to box a charity bout in Australia. Tyson, who let it be known a while back how he wants to “box some exhibitions for charity,” has been offered $1 million to box an exhibition in New Zealand.
Melbourne boxing promoter Brian Amatruda has extended the offer to Tyson with the idea being how the former heavyweight king would box either Sonny Bill Williams, Paul Galen or Barry Hall, each of these men being accomplished rugby or football players; However, Williams did achieve a 7-0 boxing career. Amatruda says this event would fill a big arena in Australia.
“I’d hold it at Melbourne Arena where we’d get over 10,000 or even Princes Park where they got 30,000 for Jeff Fenech versus Azumah Nelson,” Amatruda said as quoted by Mail Online. “He might be 53 years old, but he’s still a huge name and any of those blokes – Hall, Gallen or Sonny Bill – would jump at the chance to get into the ring with him. I’d make it part of a card with a world title fight on it. It would be enormous. Not just a fight, it would be an event.”
But would it really? Would Tyson risk embarrassment by fighting, even in exhibition fashion, at 54 years of age (next month)? Would a Tyson-Williams, or Tyson against one of the two other guys, prove to be quite the farce? Amatruda is correct about one thing, though – Tyson is still a huge name. Who knows, maybe this one could fly.
Williams, a pretty big guy at 6’3,” last boxed in 2015, when the man born in 1985 (this the year Tyson went pro!) defeated Chauncy Welliver via decision. Before that, Williams won a decision over a faded Frans Botha.
Let’s wait and see if Tyson takes Amatruda up on his offer. Tyson might get other fight offers to come his way, too. Reports say Shane Cameron and Danny Williams (who, of course, upset Tyson back in 2004) are interested in meeting the one-time “Baddest Man On The Planet” in the ring. In addition to this, Evander Holyfield recently hinted via a cryptic message on social media that he too might be contemplating a comeback.
Crazy times indeed.
