Boxing’s Latest Circus? Mike Tyson Exhibition Labeled “Joke” as Floyd Mayweather Hits Early Training

The countdown is on—Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford is just around the corner. Yet somehow, another bombshell has stolen the spotlight: Floyd Mayweather vs. Mike Tyson. Yep, you read that right. The internet can’t stop buzzing about it. Sure, fans are dragging the matchup through the mud, but hey, they’re still talking. And in boxing, chatter is currency.

The showdown is slated for next year, with 59-year-old Mike Tyson—fresh off a unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul—trying once again to rewind Father Time. On the other side? A 48-year-old Floyd Mayweather has already started training for the exhibition match, which he shared on Instagram earlier today. Amid all the noise, veteran trainer Robert Garcia decided to cut through the hype and let loose his real thoughts.

Nobody cares about Floyd Mayweather vs. Mike Tyson

“Nobody gives a f—k. Ellie, nobody gives a f—k. Come on,” Garcia told Ellie Seckbach of ES News during a recent chat when asked about the upcoming exhibition. Despite the massive draw Mayweather and Tyson bring to the table, Garcia couldn’t care less. “They probably will [buy the pay-per-view], but nah. Come on, Ellie.” Garcia wasn’t sold on the hype. He doubled down on his stance, pointing out that unlike professional bouts, exhibitions don’t crown a winner, making the outcome feel predetermined. 

That lack of consequence, he explained, drains the excitement. He even roped in the upcoming Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul exhibition on November 14th as another example. “I know it’s… obviously just an exhibition. Just a show. But nah, f—k, I laugh about it, man… Just like ‘Tank’ and Paul, come on.” However, the reporter countered, suggesting that the press conferences and pre-fight banter might be worth the spectacle. Garcia, however, wasn’t buying it. “Bro, honestly, people are gonna watch, but nah, that’s not a fight,” The Ring’s 2024 Trainer of the Year award recipient said.

“Come on, don’t even say that. Come on, don’t even call it a fight, Ellie.” To him, the event was nothing short of “a joke.” Still, Garcia admitted he’d probably tune in anyway. Asked whether these spectacles help or hurt boxing, he said, “It helps because [of] the personality, but it hurts boxing because it’s turning into a you know… as long as they call it an exhibition, then I’m okay with it.” When the reporter added that some fans were calling it a “circus,” Robert Garcia didn’t hesitate: “Yes, it is. It is.”

Regardless, Robert Garcia isn’t alone in his view of the fight, as a veteran promoter also ripped into the exhibition match. 

Kalle Sauerland shares a candid view of Mayweather vs. Tyson

Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather’s long-standing feud should have been enough to win over fans and secure approval for their showdown. Surprisingly, the opposite has happened—and veteran promoter Kalle Sauerland is among those voicing opposition to the spectacle. Speaking to IFL TV, the Wasserman chief described the matchup as nothing short of “madness.”

“Yeah, madness,” Sauerland said. “I’m not going to throw stones in a glass house. I don’t know who’s doing it, good luck to them.” For Sauerland, the biggest uncertainty lies in what rules the two legends will be competing under. “When we find out the rules, we’ll know,” he added. “Does Tyson have to fight on one leg? Does Floyd get eight-ounce gloves and Tyson get 18-ounce gloves?”

It appears most experts aren’t big fans of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Mike Tyson exhibition. However, does that mean the fight is a circus, or are you looking forward to the fight?