Mike Tyson Was Open to Fight Tyson Fury for $620 Million, ‘The Gypsy King’ Blamed Promoter’s “Peanuts” Offer for Fight Debacle

Mike Tyson is widely regarded as one of the greatest Heavyweights in the sport’s history. Despite his retirement and advancing years, the former champion’s enduring legacy continues to captivate fans worldwide. While ‘Iron Mike’ might not be as good as he was in his prime, he still had a passion to get back into the squared circle. Moreover, after a return to the ring in his fifties, Tyson’s passion for boxing reignited, prompting him to consider a highly lucrative challenge against the WBC Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Despite decades of retirement, the allure of a colossal payday seemed enticing enough for Tyson to contemplate a return to the big time. In addition, ‘The Gypsy King’ revealed that there were ongoing talks for an exhibition between the two. However, the fight was never able to materialize due to the excessive money demanded by Tyson.

The $620 million mega-fight: Inside Mike Tyson’s quest for a historic payday

In an interview with IFLTV, Fury revealed that there were discussions about a potential exhibition. Tyson’s camp had reached out, and both fighters had a phone call to explore the possibility of a bout. During these talks, Tyson expressed interest in a massive £500 million ($620 million) payday for the fight. However, according to Fury, the offer they received on paper was nothing close to it.

“There was talk of it. His people contacted me. Mike and I had a phone call. It was all real but never materialized. Whoever was offering the comeback money to Mike offered us peanuts. Mike was talking about £500 million ($620 million) figures, but what came back to us on paper was a joke. It was crazy.” he said

While Tyson’s pursuit of a $620 million payday made headlines, the clash with Fury ultimately remained a dream. Instead, Tyson ventured into an exhibition match against fellow veteran Roy Jones Jr. On the other hand,  the WBC champion had his own path to conquer, facing the likes of Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora later. While the possibility of a high-profile exhibition bout with Tyson intrigued Fury, he eventually decided against it due to the predicament he foresaw.

Tyson Fury’s dilemma: A lose-lose situation with Mike Tyson

Tyson Fury further explained that while he would have loved to share the ring with Tyson, he recognized that the outcome would lead to a no-win situation for him. If he had won, critics might have dismissed Fury’s skills, claiming that a 53-year-old defeated him. On the other hand, if Fury had emerged victorious, he could have been criticized for defeating an aging legend.

“I would have loved to share the ring with him and move around. But if he had won, then people would have said I was rubbish because a 53-year-old beat me. If I had beaten him, then I would have been a bully. It was a lose-lose situation for me. It was money; I didn’t need to fight a man past his best.” he added

Ultimately, Fury decided against the fight, acknowledging that it was not worth the potential consequences and preferring to focus on his path in the Heavyweight division. Now, ‘The Gypsy King’ is set to compete in a huge crossover bout against former UFC Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. While the bout has been criticized due to Fury not taking on unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, this fight will give both fighters a substantial payday. Moreover, with Tyson now in his late 50s, a possible bout between the two will never likely materialize.

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