In a season of comebacks, one more addition shouldn’t do any harm, correct? Nineteen years after he retired from professional boxing, Mike Tyson made a comeback. An eight-round bout saw him exchange jabs with Jake Paul. A few days later, former heavyweight champion Oliver McCall followed suit. Evander Holyfield was at the Cowboys Stadium watching his former rival and now friend go against an opponent thirty years his junior.

Perhaps the fight buoyed the Olympic bronze medalist, who later ruminated—a third fight with ‘Iron’ Mike. It didn’t take much time before the pondering buzzed through the social media landscape. However, Tyson, who not long ago decided to leave the next ring venture to fate, felt that something greater had already substituted that elusive third edition—their friendship. In his latest post, ‘The Real Deal,’ agreed. The replacement was way more precious than the two of them entering the ring again.

Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson: Something far more significant than a fight

With the words ‘The Trilogy’ embossed on top, a poster featured the two legends. The message on Holyfield’s Instagram post made it explicit: “The fans want it 🥊 #unfinishedbusiness.” Signs of hope showed up on the next slide. During the post-fight interview, Ariel Helwani asked, “Is this possibly the last time for you?” Mike Tyson replied, “I don’t think so.” The response must have surprised many.

However, Holyfield soon heard from his former rival. “I love you, brother, but the trilogy is our friendship,” said Mike Tyson. As he thought it over, the idea of one final fight between them sounded ‘nice’, but maybe it was better to leave it where it ended years ago.

“But Mike’s right—the trilogy is our friendship and respect,” he stated in the latest post. It featured the post-credit scene from the 2013 hit ‘Grudge Match’, where actor-comedian Kevin Hart discusses a grudge match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. From the year when they fought as amateurs to the time when they scaled the heights of the sport, what mattered the most was the immense respect and love they received from everyone.

Holyfield highlighted how some of the fans held strong opinions against a third bout with Tyson. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but sign off without taking a subtle dig: “The fans have spoken—no need for gloves to keep this friendship strong! 🥊💯 But it is 🦆season. Just kidding.”

The legends are back

As it appears, Evander Holyfield isn’t alone as far as entertaining a fight with ‘Iron’ Mike goes. Another rival, the third pillar in the hallowed halls of legendary rivalry, Lennox Lewis, hinted at a rematch with Tyson. Like Holyfield, Lewis also shares a history with Tyson. From the prelude to their 2002 clash that witnessed a full-blown brawl to Tyson’s eventual knockout, the fight still feels like a fresh memory for many fans.

While sharing his thoughts on the Jake Paul fight, the reporter from TMZ, reminding him of an earlier discussion, checked whether he was still willing to consider a bout against Mike Tyson. In response, ‘The Lion’ said, “Let’s see how he makes out in this fight (the Jake Paul match), and then I’ll tell you after.”

With Lewis’s former opponent, Oliver McCall, staging a successful return, the trend might inspire such comebacks in the near future. But the bigger question remains: do fans truly want to see aging icons return to the ring and put themselves at risk?

Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.