MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko calls out Mike Tyson for a professional boxing bout a
Fedor Emelianenko has retired from MMA, but he’s not done with combat sports and recently called out Mike Tyson for a boxing match.
Emelianenko last went up against Ryan Bader for the Bellator heavyweight title at Bellator 290. ‘The Last Emperor’ lost the rematch via first-round knockout. After the bout, the MMA legend laid his gloves down and announced his retirement from the sport. Widely known as one of the greatest heavyweights ever, Fedor Emelianenko enthralled fans over a career spanning more than two decades.
While he’s left MMA for good, the former PRIDE champion now wants to try his hand at boxing.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Fedor Emelianenko revealed that he’d love to make his boxing debut against Mike Tyson and said:
“We watched the fight on TV of Roy Jones Jr. vs. Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson would be an interesting fight He has a big name, he’s a legend. … It would be interesting because you can see a lot of his videos on YouTube and all over the place, he’s still in good shape. He still works pads, he still has that same power, and he still has that speed and power. That would be awesome if it’s possible [to fight on the undercard of Fury vs. Ngannou], I would definitely do it.”
Mike Tyson last fought fellow heavyweight legend Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match in 2020. The 57-year-old boxing legend secured a split draw. He is now involved in training former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou for his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury.
Mike Tyson says Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury will be more competitive than people think
Mike Tyson recently opened up about the highly anticipated Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury boxing match.
Ngannou is slated to fight Fury in the squared circle on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 10-round fight will take place under official pro-boxing rules, including three ringside judges using the 10-point must system.
After the fight was officially announced, many dismissed Ngannou’s chances against the WBC heavyweight champion. However, Mike Tyson recently revealed that the former UFC heavyweight champion is better than people think. As mentioned, Tyson has been roped in to train Francis Ngannou and will be in his corner during the fight.
In a recent interview on ESPN’s First Take, Mike Tyson admitted that he was impressed with Ngannou’s skills and stated:
“He’s had many professional fights, but he’s never experienced a professional boxing match. But by working with him yesterday, he has the aptitude, and I see a good future in this life. It’s not going to be as one-sided as people think it is… I definitely believe that it’s going to be a tougher fight than anyone thinks.”