Props: Gary Shaw
"I have the media report about Tyson. I have had no discussions with Mike or anybody surrounding Mike. I know Mike. Yes, I would make that fight in a heartbeat.... For those that say things about Kimbo to me are haters because they should be cheer-leading him to lead the way and open more doors. I don't think MMA has had as much excitement the last few years as Kimbo is now bringing to the table.... Let me remind everyone on this call that nobody cared who Mike Tyson fought. If you asked someone what they were doing Saturday night, they would say they were going to see Tyson. They didn't say Tyson against anybody. If he beat up on somebody that wasn't as good as him, people would say he's the baddest man on the planet. Some of the questions on this call are about an aging Tyson who got knocked out in his last fight. But it's still the aura of Tyson. That's what Kimbo Slice brings. I'm proud to promote him and proud to know him. I'm proud to call him a friend. Everybody should be cheer-leading Kimbo because he is a reason, not the only reason, but a reason that CBS really looked up. The logo of CBS, that eye, they put that eye right on Kimbo Slice."
Elite XC Live Events President Gary Shaw refutes recent claims in a conference call yesterday that a fight between Kimbo Slice and 41-year-old former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is in the works. Slice has always talked about wanting to fight "Iron Mike;" however, he is way passed his prime and incredibly out of shape. Regardless, the return of Tyson would more than likely generate a ton of public interest (as always), especially if he's matched up against a personality such as Slice. It's for that reason that Shaw would book the fight in a "heartbeat." It would be a complete sideshow ... but a money-making sideshow at that. Slice has to first take care of James Thompson at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on May 31 during the network television debut of live mixed martial arts action on CBS.
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