UFC welterweight contender Nate Diaz is on a lengthy hiatus from the octagon, having last competed in November. He is enjoying his time off, yet has a close eye on the UFC. This is clear by his call-outs of multiple fighters and his constant weighing in on the current situation.
With no welterweight bouts on the UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Oleinik card, Diaz got a dose of another combat sport. He posted a story on his Instagram where his followers got to see him relive the infamous video of the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis press conference brawl.
Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis brawl at a press conference
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The event took place nearly two years after ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ threatened to eat Lewis’ children following his 38-second KO victory over Lou Savarese.
The bout marked Mike Tyson’s final championship clash. Here, he was the challenger, and fans knew that he couldn’t wait to get his hands on ‘The Lion.’ However, in typical Mike Tyson fashion, he jumped the gun.
‘Iron’ stepped off his podium and marched towards Lewis. When security attempted to impede his progress towards the champion, the challenger punched the man on his right. This prompted Lewis to start swinging his fists too. Tyson landed a takedown as a tussle ensued, with event personnel trying to pull the two apart.
Following this, ‘Iron’ taunted Lewis by pointing at his crotch. This features in Diaz’s Instagram story.
Mike Tyson lost the bout via an eighth-round knockout. He then winded down his professional career with one last win against Clifford Etienne and two defeats.
Could Nate Diaz get inspired by Mike Tyson and make a return?
‘The Stockton Slugger’ is no doubt excited for Mike Tyson’s in-ring return next month where he will face Roy Jones Jr. Whilst not at their prime, both boxers are sure to make the combat world stop at take notice of their fight.
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Should Diaz return, the world will stop too, as despite his long breaks from competition, he remains a massive draw in the UFC. Fans saw this when Diaz made his comeback last year following a two-and-a-half-year layoff after going down to Conor McGregor. ‘The Stockton Slugger’ beat Anthony Pettis and then lost the BMF championship match at Madison Square Garden.
Could watching the Mike Tyson throwbacks give Diaz an inkling to return to competition? Only time will tell. How well do you remember the Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis press conference?
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