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Back in 2017, Conor McGregor crossed over to the sport of boxing to face Floyd Mayweather. Their fight intrigued the masses at large and is the second-highest pay-per-view grossing event in combat sports history. Ever since, the world of combat sports has seen several cross-over bouts and it does not seem to come to a halt. In a recent turn of events, a boxing bout between former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson and legendary MMA fighter, Fedor Emelianenko is rumored to be in the works.

This potential bout has resulted in a backlash from MMA fans and some have advanced their predictions. So without further ado, let’s dive deeper into this revelation and unwrap some fan reactions.

Fans believe Mike Tyson vs. Fedor Emelianenko is a bad idea

Fedor Emelianenko is a former Pride champion and retired from the sport while competing under the Bellator banner back in 2023. Meanwhile, Tyson came out of retirement for an exhibition bout back in 2020. Although they competed in different disciplines, they were both feared individuals and counted among the greats of their sport. Yet, the fans are not so pleased with the prospectus of this bout taking place in Saudi Arabia.

 

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One fan is not interested in seeing two retired fighters compete. He said, “Can we stop doing retired fighter fights? It’s not interesting in the slightest.”

Along similar lines, another fan for their best interest does not want this fight to occur. He said, “Mike is almost 60 and Fedor is almost 50 I do not want to see these guys hurt” 

Meanwhile, one fan made his prediction known and favored the retired boxer. He said, “⁠Mike via slaughter not even close lol” 

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However, on the contrary, one fan predicted that the MMA fighter would win. He said, “Fedors gonna hurt him i feel” 

Last but not least, one fan does not consider it a level playing field. He said, “Come on now, Fedor can’t beat Mike in boxing…that’s not fair”

It appears that the fans are divided in all sorts of ways but this fight may not be farfetched. This should not come as a shock as the retired MMA fighter has contemplated facing Tyson for some time now.

Emelianenko on facing Tyson in the ring

Last year, Emelianenko was decisive on the fact that he is not going to make a return in MMA — But boxing? In an interview with ‘The MMA Hour,’ he revealed he wanted to try his hand at boxing, quite literally. It was a serious consideration on his part as he had contemplated his opponent. It was none other than Mike Tyson. He stated, “MMA is done, 100 per cent. I’m not going back to MMA. I want to try boxing. I think that’s going to be interesting,” he added, “Mike Tyson would be an interesting fight.”

Emelianenko retired from MMA after going 4-3 in his Bellator run. He lost to Matt Mitrione on his Bellator debut and then twice more to heavyweight champion Ryan Bader. But with a record of 40-6-0 Emeilanenko remains one of the most dominant figures in MMA history. While he may not have the youth needed to compete in MMA, can he manage boxing one of the all-time greats?

Given their interest in competing against one another, who knows? This fight may be on the cards. If it does take place, how do you see it playing out? Share with us your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Read more: “Everyone Is Waiting for a Comeback”: Evander Holyfield’s Impressive Training Clip Makes Fans Demand a Mike Tyson Trilogy Fight