Mike Tyson didn’t hesitate when asked if he’d beat Conor McGregor in his prime
The Former champion is confident he could beat the UFC star in the ring.
Mike Tyson has had his say on how he would fare in a potential match up with Conor McGregor.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson isn’t short of confidence 19 years after retiring from boxing in 2005.
The 57-year-old was set to fight Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in July, but the fight was postponed after an ulcer flare up forced Tyson to halt training.
Paul will instead face UFC veteran Mike Perry this summer, with the Tyson fight set to take place on November 15.
But Paul isn’t the only fighter that Tyson has eyed up as a potential opponent, with the boxing legend confident he would beat Mixed Martial Arts superstar Conor McGregor if the two were to meet in the ring.
While appearing on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in 2020, Tyson was asked about a potential future matchup with the Irishman.
“Yeah, but I’m gonna kick his ass anyway,” Tyson told Fallon, who described McGregor as ‘nuts.’
As Fallon laughed at Tyson’s confidence, he pointed out that McGregor ‘doesn’t play by the rules.’
But Tyson cooly replied: “Hey, we’re going to play by boxing rules”
Months later, Tyson fought fellow former heavyweight boxer Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match in the Staples Center, Los Angeles.
Controversially, the fight was ruled as a split draw, despite many believing that Tyson had dominated the fight.
McGregor on the other hand, has struggled since Tyson called him out, losing twice to long-term rival Dustin Poirier.
The former UFC champion was set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon on Saturday against Michael Chandler, after breaking his leg in the third fight with Poirier in July 2021.
But a broken pinky toe sustained in the final weeks of training camp forced McGregor to pull out of the fight, which is now expected to take place later in the year.
Conor McGregor was set to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. (Image: Getty)
While the Irishman is best known for his career in the octagon, he has also fought inside the boxing ring, and has regularly spoken about making a return to the ring, therefore potentially leaving the door open for a fight with Tyson.
Shortly after becoming the first ever two-weight UFC world champion (featherweight and lightweight), McGregor faced five-division boxing champion Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas.
