Hall of Fame coach Teddy Atlas, who previously worked with Mike Tyson, has offered his thoughts on the former heavyweight champion’s exhibition match with Floyd Mayweather.
It was reported earlier this year that the two boxing legends are set to enter a non-competitive bout in the Congo, with their event originally slated for April 25.
Since then, however, an injury to Tyson has caused many to speculate whether the show will still take place, especially with Mayweather having announced his rematch against Manny Pacquiao.
The fight against Pacquiao, which is set to be sanctioned as a professional contest, will be staged at the Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19.
Before that, Mayweather has also agreed to an exhibition with Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in June. The details surrounding his potential meeting with Tyson remain unclear, though the former undisputed heavyweight champion has recently said it will happen – his first outing since a controversial fight with Jake Paul in 2024.
Speaking with BetVictor, Atlas – who assisted legendary coach Cus D’Amato in training a young Tyson before a bitter split – gave an overall damning verdict on the exhibition match, believing it is nothing more than a “money grab”.
“Mike Tyson vs Floyd Mayweather is just a money grab. It’s not an athletic venture; it’s no longer an athletic contest.
“I won’t even go deep to say if it’s preordained, scripted, or WWE-like, which maybe some people thought with the Paul-Tyson fight.
“I don’t go that deep. I just say that sometimes fights in my world were about competitiveness. They were about who’s better… about answering a question for the fans but, more importantly, for the participants.
“Who’s better? Who’s up to the challenge? Who can be greater? Who can dig further? That’s not what this [Tyson-Mayweather] is about.”
