CAPE TOWN – Former world light heavyweight and middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins believes Mike Tyson is in desperate need of money, which is the reason for his comeback.
Te hype around Tyson’s comeback has been high since he made the announcement three months ago, and speculation about his first opponent has been rife with names such as Evander Holyfield, Shannon Briggs and Tyson Fury thrown into the mix.
When asked what he thought about Tyson and Holyfield making their comebacks in their 50s, 55-year-old Hopkins told IFL TV: “I don’t think it’s up to me. I think it’s up to [them] if they can pass any state physical.
“Where are they fighting, Dubai? They’ve got to be fighting out of the country? If they don’t pass their physical they ain’t fighting nobody (sic), so it’s really up to the commission.
“Nobody wants blood on their hands if something happened to tose guys. They’re of an age where this is a tough game and if that does happen, I don’t think it’ll happen in the States. I don’t think they’ll get licensed here.
“Bare knuckle? Well if anybody need a few dollars, I’ve got charity that either one of those guys,” said Hopkins.
“But they have got to sign a paper with me that they will not step back in that ring. They’re talking about bare knuckles then somebody is in some very deep sh*t of financial problems. Because bare knuckles is totally different from fighting majority of your life in gloves.”