Mike Tyson Calls Out Floyd Mayweather as “Scared Man” Over Muhammad Ali Remarks

2025 has been nothing short of bizarre for boxing. Not only have fans mourned the loss of several greats, but they’ve also been robbed of dream matchups like the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev trilogy. Instead, the sport has served up curveballs, most notably Jake Paul stepping in against Gervonta Davis in a fight with a staggering 65-pound gap. But if you think that’s the strangest headline of the year, think again. The spotlight has now shifted to a blockbuster exhibition officially announced for 2026: ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson vs. ‘Money’ Floyd Mayweather. The bout, organized by CSI Sports/Fight Sports, has fans buzzing, even though the date and venue remain under wraps.

Just last year, Tyson was set to clash with Jake Paul in June before an ulcer flare-up mid-flight postponed the fight to November. At 58, health concerns like sciatica had already raised doubts about Tyson’s ability to perform, and the postponement only amplified those fears. Now, with Tyson and Mayweather locked in for next spring, fans are digging up old comments Tyson once made about Mayweather. So what did he say?

Mike Tyson schools Floyd Mayweather on true greatness

Yesterday, HappyPunch shared a clip on Instagram showing an interview with Mike Tyson, recorded years after his initial retirement from boxing. In the clip, Tyson appeared on ShoBox with Steve Farhood, who asked him about a dream fight from any era. Without hesitation, Tyson picked Floyd Mayweather, the pound-for-pound king of his generation. Farhood laughed and said he loved the answer, before Tyson explained further. “Well, I would love to have fought him. I wish he was my weight,” Tyson said. But that wasn’t all.

Back in April 2015, Tyson erupted during an interview with UCN, directly addressing Mayweather’s bold claim of being greater than Muhammad Ali. “He is very delusional. If he was anywhere near that realm of greater than Ali, he would be able to take his kids to school by himself. And he thinks he is great? Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people. Greatness is being accepted by the people. He is a little scared man. He is a very small scared man,” Tyson declared.

The heated comments were a direct response to Mayweather’s controversial remarks. Ali, who Tyson has always admired, is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. He is the only fighter to win the lineal heavyweight championship three times and left behind unforgettable moments, including his legendary “Rumble in the Jungle” against George Foreman. To Tyson, any comparison between Ali and Mayweather was nothing short of disrespectful.

For his part, Money Mayweather stood firm in his self-assessment. In an interview with First Post, he stated, “I feel like I’ve done just as much in the sport as Ali.” Confident in his accomplishments, he further added, “It is hard for a guy like me, still sharp at 38. No disrespect to Ali, but I feel like I am the best. Ali lost in his career to Leon Spinks. He lost some other fights and is still known as the greatest. That is what it is.” As a result, his comments fueled a storm on social media, further dividing fans of the two icons.

Even now, a decade later, Tyson has not forgotten those words, often labeling Mayweather as “delusional.” And yet, despite their rocky history, the boxing world is now poised to witness a spectacle next spring: Floyd Mayweather, at 48, agreeing to fight Mike Tyson, who is 59. But why did Mayweather choose to accept this fight now?

Was Floyd Mayweather influenced by Mike Tyson’s 2020 exhibition?

“If you thought Mike Tyson was pulling punches against Jake Paul and that wasn’t real, well, he ain’t going to pull no punches against Floyd,” ShowBizz said yesterday while reacting to the shocking announcement. “That dude has shown that he hates [Mayweather]. Remember his faint punch at Floyd…,” he added, pointing back to a 2001 event when both men shared the stage. “Iron Mike Tyson threw, he got ba–s of iron.”

ShowBizz then shifted his focus to Roy Jones Jr., who faced Tyson in an exhibition bout in 2020. “Matter of fact, that’s probably why Floyd didn’t accept the Roy Jones Jr. fight,” he explained in his YouTube video. “He was already negotiating with Mike. After this, Floyd and Roy probably mix up. Anything can happen. This is a world where anything can happen.” Tyson himself admitted being surprised by Floyd Mayweather’s decision in a recent statement.

“When CSI came to me about stepping in the ring with Floyd Mayweather, I thought, ‘No way this happens,’ but Floyd said yes,” Tyson revealed. Still, this raises the question: Was Roy Jones Jr. expected to fight Floyd Mayweather? Yes, he was! That said, ShowBizz the Adult may have presented an interesting theory, but whether it holds true remains uncertain. But what do you think? Did Floyd Mayweather really sidestep Roy Jones Jr. to set up a fight with Mike Tyson?