After Mike Tyson's Workout Videos Were Released, People Have Been Asking

SI's Chris Mannix shares some thoughts on a Mike Tyson return to the ring

The Internet was ablaze last week after a video emerged of a 53-year-old Mike Tyson looking in shape and sharp working the pads with a former trainer. Almost immediately offers for Tyson, who has been retired since 2005, to return came in from everywhere. An Australian promoter offered Tyson $1 million to travel there. Bare-knuckle Boxing said it would pay $20 million. Even Evander Holyfield took to social media to clamor for a third fight with Iron Mike. Oscar de la Hoya declared that if he trained properly, Tyson could defeat any of the current heavyweights. 

If Tyson wants to return for an exhibition match, more power to him. He's still an enormously popular figure in the boxing community. A match with the 57-year-old Holyfield is morbidly interesting, provided both wear headgear and whack away to each other with 16-ounce gloves. But the idea that Tyson could come back and win a meaningful fight is ridiculous. Rewind the tape to the end to 2004, when Tyson was knocked out by Danny Williams to two thousand five when he was battered, broken and ultimately retired by Kevin McBride, that Tyson was a shell of his former intimidating self. 

We're supposed to believe a 50 plus year old version will be better? By all means, make a buck in an exhibition match. But a return to the ring against a real heavyweight is a recipe for disaster.