5 Potential Future Mike Tyson Opponents

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 28: Mike Tyson enters the ring during Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr. presented by Triller at Staples Center on November 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Triller)

Ages: Vitali 49 | Wladimir 44

Professional Record: Vitali 45-2, 41 KOs | Wladimir 64-5, 53 KOs

A snowball’s chance in hell for a bunch of reasons. For starters, the brothers are completely out of the boxing game, aside from a few special appearances during a major fight week here and there. Wladimir, who retired in 2017 after back-to-back losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, is now an entrepreneur and founder of Klitschko Ventures. Meanwhile, Vitali, who last fought in 2012, is kind of busy these days serving as the mayor of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Both Klitschkos are way bigger and way younger than Tyson. They stand at 6’6” and 6’7” while Tyson checks in at 5’10”. A height disadvantage never stopped Iron Mike during his heyday, but he ain’t The Baddest Man on the Planet any more. And the Klitschkos have given zero indication they want back into the boxing game. 

Age: 41

MMA guys are constantly rumored to be considering offers to cross over and box, especially after Conor McGregor earned a fortune losing to Floyd Mayweather three summers ago. Daniel Cormier is a name that’s been wantonly thrown out there since he just retired from the UFC. Cormier walked away from the sport after losing for a second time to Stipe Miocic this past August. He said he only wanted to fight for championships and the loss to Miocic meant that probably wasn’t going to happen again for the heavyweight. But Cormier is similarly sized (roughly 5’11” and 235 pounds) in comparison to Tyson and if you throw enough money at the 41-year-old, maybe you could coax him into the ring instead of the octagon.

Age: 55

Professional Record: 41-2, 32 KOs

Tyson’s opponent in the last fight of his career that was truly consequential, Lewis knocked out Iron Mike in the 8th round of their mega-match in 2002. Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight champ—that’s kind of a big deal—but he hasn’t fought since beating Vitali Klitschko in controversial fashion back in 2003. Lewis is now an analyst for FOX’s coverage of Premier Boxing Champions and he seems pretty content to not return to the ring. He recently told BT Sport he never made a comeback because boxing is littered with so many instances of former champs looking feeble upon their return. But he’s not ruling one out completely—just probably not against Tyson. He’d prefer another opponent.

“If it is right, I may come back,” Lewis told BT Sport. “There’s been talk of Riddick Bowe wants to fight me still so there is still some unfinished business there.”

Age: 55

Professional Record: 55-8, 32 KOs

Maybe. Only because Hopkins was a legend in the ring—part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s 2020 induction class who reigned over the middleweight division, including 20 consecutive title defenses—and could conceivably be heavy enough in retirement to step into the ring with Tyson. Iron Mike weighed 220.4 pounds for his match with Jones—slightly lighter than his weight during the tail end of his career. While Hopkins’ day-job revolves around Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, The Executioner isn’t too far removed from his last fight. After 67 professional bouts, Hopkins retired following his 2016 loss to Joe Smith Jr. at light heavyweight.

Age: 58

Professional Record: 44-10-2, 29 KOs

The most obvious opponent for Tyson should Iron Mike want to fight again. They're just going to need to work overtime on the financials. There's obvious history between these two. A few years ago, Complex Sports told you how Tyson-Holyfield II nearly destroyed the sport of boxing. We never got a third installment of the rivalry, but maybe it’s finally time to run it back. While Holyfield is keeping busy these days as a promoter, he’s been training like crazy and telling whoever will listen that he’s interested in a fight with Tyson. 

"No more excuses. This is the fight that must happen for both our legacies," Holyfield said in a statement released Tuesday. "Saturday night you said you were ready to fight me, so sign the contract and get in the ring, Tyson. The world is waiting and it's on you now. I'm ready."

As long as Holyfield's price tag is met. Holyfield told the I Am Athlete podcast he wants $25 million to fight Tyson. Iron Mike made $7.5 million for his bout with Jones and reportedly is giving it all to charity. If they can find someone with deep enough pockets in this economy to pay two olds to fight for a third time—albeit 25 years too late—then more power to ‘em.