Mike Tyson is doubling down on cashing in on his name cache.
The former heavyweight champion and global icon has parlayed his upcoming one-man stage show “Return of the Mike” with an exhibition against
Floyd Mayweather, which is set to take place sometime next spring.
“Iron Mike” has already started promoting the festivities, and he joined NBC’s “Today” show to elaborate on the pair of planned activities.
When Tyson was asked if he was indeed going to keep fighting, he took a long pause, a deep breath, let out a sigh, and said:
“You know, listen. I'm going to say this. I have a 14-year-old son, and my son said, ‘Why? Why are you doing it?’ For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. And I felt sad for a moment. I said, ‘Because I’m the best that ever did it. That’s why.’ He didn’t get it, but I said, ‘I have to; it is all I know how to do.’
"Listen, I made more money in my 50s than I did in my 20s. That’s really interesting. From that perspective, I’m [about to be] 60 years old. The money doesn’t mean anything. The people I love, I can take care of.”
Tyson (50-7, 44 KOs), who filed for bankruptcy in 2003, has made tremendous sums of money in recent years, taking on Roy Jones Jr. in a November 2020 exhibition and a matchup against Jake Paul last year that is reflected on his professional record.
Tyson was 58 at the time of the Paul fight and his body didn’t allow him to rise to the occasion, leaving legions of fans around the world disappointed that he wasn’t able to have a miraculous turn-back-the-clock-like performance.
Tyson is promising a different version of himself against Mayweather.
"This is going to be some good stuff, right?” he said. “I'll be three fights in, so I'm already over my jitters. This is going to be the best one. ... If these people stop giving me money, yes, this will be the last one.”
Tyson also opened up about the second installment of his previously acclaimed one-man show that kicks off in partnership with Hard Rock Hotels on Nov. 9 in Rockford, Illinois, before heading to Cincinnati on Nov. 23, Hollywood, Florida, on Dec. 14, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Jan. 23.
"I'm doing a reassessment of my life,” he said. “There will be a lot to talk about – a couple of lawsuits to talk about. Oh, you have no idea ... my wife is always having me dig up this nasty stuff and let the people know this stuff that I don't want to bring back up. Pain is comedy. People think they are jokes, but I am telling what happened in my life, and put my little spin on it.”
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.