Boxing promoters are talking about the possibility of staging a third boxing match between popular heavyweight boxers Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in the United Arab Emirates.
The National” ‘ Promoters are in talks with the government to bring the boxing legends Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to the UAE for their third match, an organizer said the other day.
Final plans are still under negotiation but the fight is expected to take place in October, said executive of Hydra Properties, Sulaiman al Fahim, one of the promoters of the deal.
But promoters have yet to approach the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), the government body responsible for supporting the events in the Emirates, that have indicated they are aware of the idea but said it is very much in the preliminary stages.
The ADSC is promoting and encouraging sports in the country but it could not be ascertained if boxing is one sport that is included in the sports development plan.
There are also reports that Tyson may have a hard time getting a visa to UAE on account of his rape conviction in the USA where he served his prison term of six years.
Some sports sources in the region are skeptical about the proposal for the Tyson-Holyfield boxing match as they are not sure whether the sports council will back up the proposal.
The representatives of both fighters said that ‘they are both one hundred per cent on board’.
Mike Tyson is an American professional boxer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 30, 1966. He was the youngest boxer to win the world heavyweight boxing championship at age 20. Tyson is well known for his controversial behavior in and outside the ring. He became known as ‘The Iron Man’, ‘Kid Dynamite’ and the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’. He has a professional boxing record of 58 fights winning 50 and losing six with two no contests.
Evander Holyfield is likewise an American professional boxer from Artmore, Alabama. He was born on October 19, 1952. He fought 54 times as a professional boxer, winning 42 and losing 10 with two draws. He became famous when he beat Mike Tyson in the 11th round TKO and joined Muhammad Ali and Lenox Lewis as the only three men ever to become world heavyweight champions three times. He recently fought Nikolai Valuev of Russia in a controversial decision where he lost on points.