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Mike Tyson's bombshell $32 million Evander Holyfield move

Pictured here, heavyweight boxing legends Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
A third fight between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield would be a dream come true for boxing fans. Pic: Getty

The manager for Evander Holyfield has made a stunning revelation about a trilogy fight with fellow heavyweight boxing great, Mike Tyson.

Holyfield’s manager Kris Lawrence says what appeared to be a "done deal" for the fight to happen in May, has fallen apart because of Tyson's team.

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It's reported that Tyson rejected a deal of around $A32 million to fight Holyfield for a third time, at the 65,000-capacity stadium.

“We thought this was a done deal but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers.

“We were negotiating in good faith all along and it appears we just ended up wasting our time.”

Tyson confirmed last week that he will return to the boxing ring in May, and that it would take place on Memorial Day weekend at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami - the home of NFL franchise the Dolphins.

The 54-year-old casually dropped the announcement while chatting to guests Canelo Alvarez and Eddy Reynoso on his Hotboxin' podcast.

While the former heavyweight champion didn't mention the name of his opponent, a trilogy fight against Holyfield would be a dream for boxing fans.

The pair first fought in 1996 when Holyfield took Tyson's heavyweight belt with a stunning 11th round KO.

Tyson was then disqualified during their rematch in 1997 for twice biting Holyfield's ear in one of the most infamous moments in sporting history.

Seen here, the infamous Mike Tyson bite on Evander Holyfield during their 1997 bout.
Mike Tyson famously but Evander Holyfield's ear during their 1997 heavyweight rematch. Pic: AAP

The 54-year-old then made a shock return to the ring last year to take on fellow Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. in a hugely anticipated but slightly underwhelming exhibition bout that ended in a draw.

Despite the anticlimactic end to the spectacle, the fight generated some $100 million in pay-per-view revenue - meaning massive pay days for both fighters.

Understandably wanting a piece of the action, Holyfield told The Sun in January that he was in training and determined to go toe-to-toe with Tyson once more.

“I’m still training for this,” Holyfield said. “I know it will be some day this deal will happen and I’m ready for him. I’m doing OK.”

Tyson keen to keep fighting after Jones Jr. bout

Tyson admitted recently that the fight against Jones Jr. gave him a reminder of what he'd been missing.

“I felt better than I anticipated,” Tyson revealed on his podcast.

“I thought I would be a little more nervous than I was, but I was relaxed. I felt like, wow, I could do some more, I could punch more combinations, I could do this and do that.

"I said, ‘Wow, this is interesting.’ And I want to do it again, and I want to do it against someone I could go all out on. It made me interested in wanting to do it again.

“I wanted to go the distance. I didn’t want to knock anybody out. That’s what people expected, but I wanted to go the distance.”

There is talk that a contract dispute with streaming company Triller - who broadcast Tyson's fight against Jones Jr. - was the reason why the Holyfield fight fell through.

Triller claims it has exclusive rights to any fight involving Tyson for the next three years, but the heavyweight great released a statement denying any such suggestion.

“Just to be clear there is no Tyson with Triller fight,” Tyson said.

“I don’t know any Triller executives personally. I don’t have a deal with Triller or any head executive representing them for the next event.

“I will never do another event or any business with Triller so anyone misrepresenting that they own the rights to my name or my next event isn’t true.

"I am not with or ever will be with Triller’s Fight Club.”

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