No more excuses: Evander Holyfield asks Mike Tyson for third fight

Four-time world heavyweight champion boxer Evander Holyfield. /CFP

Beating Mike Tyson twice felt good, but it may feel even better to do it the third time – at least that's what 58-year-old Evander Holyfield thought as he provoked Tyson for a third fight at a press briefing on Tuesday.

"My side tried to make the fight happen and we got nothing but excuses. Now I can see why he wanted a tuneup fight before thinking about fighting me," said Holyfield.

Despite being 54 years old, Tyson surprisingly fought Roy Jones Jr. to a draw in an exhibition bout at the Staples Center on November 28 after being 15 years away from the ring.

Roy Jones Jr. (L) and Mike Tyson celebrate their split draw during Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. presented by Triller at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, November 28, 2020. /CFP

"No more excuses. This is the fight that must happen for both our legacies. Saturday night you said you were ready to fight me, so sign the contract and get in the ring, Tyson. The world is waiting and it's on you now. I'm ready," said Holyfield who's convinced that a trilogy fight between him and Tyson will be "a global event and the only fight that anyone wants to see."

After the bout with Jones Jr., Tyson said he planed to do another exhibition match in the future and he would not mind facing Holyfield, the man who beat him twice in the 1990s.

"Maybe Evander needs to talk to me because every time my business associates talk to his business associates, it doesn't turn out well. So, I don't know. If you could see what we made tonight, if these guys really care about the welfare of Evander, they would have had this fight with Evander. Maybe we'll do another, but whoever he's with, whoever is handling him is totally wrong," said Tyson.

Heavyweight boxing legends Mike Tyson (L) and Evander Holyfield pose for photo at the 19th annual Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, August 9, 2019. /CFP

Holyfield and Tyson met for the first time in November 1996. Holyfield scored an 11th-round TKO victory over Tyson who was in his prime. Seven months later, Holyfield beat Tyson again, by fourth-round disqualification in controversial fashion this time after Tyson bit his ear twice.

Both Tyson and Jones Jr. were guaranteed $1 million for the exhibition fight. Tyson reportedly will make another $10 million after pay-per-view buys came in. Meanwhile, according to Holyfield on "I am Athlete" podcast last week, it will at least take $25 million to put him back in the ring. If this legendary trilogy fight can happen, it will be expensive for sure.