Mike Tyson didn’t hesitate when asked if he would beat boxing great Floyd Mayweather in a street fight.
During his impressive career, Tyson made a name for himself as one of, if not the, most dangerous and frightening men alive, as demonstrated by his highlight reel of brutal knockout victories.
Despite this, the former heavyweight champion doesn’t often come up during conversations about the greatest boxer of all time, with fellow heavyweight Muhammad Ali or unbeaten 50 fight veteran Mayweather the common picks as the sport’s best.
But when Tyson was asked if he could beat Mayweather in a fight on the street, he gave the coldest response.
In an interview with GQ, he exclaimed: “I think I would really kick Floyd’s a** in a street fight, there wouldn’t even be no match.”
Having grown up on the street of New York, it comes as no surprise that Tyson believes he would have the better of Mayweather if they were to meet in a fight outside of the ring.
However, the former champ surprisingly admitted that if he was the same size as Floyd and they faced each other inside the boxing ring, the result would be different.
Tyson confessed: “Probably if I was his size in the ring he would outpoint me. He has a really good technique for his style, he’s really great at what he does.”
While Tyson is known for his brutal violence and one punch knockout power, Mayweather is perhaps the opposite, praised for his high boxing IQ and impressive reflexes.
These skills allowed the American to become champion in five different weight classes all while maintaining an unbeaten record.
Floyd Mayweather is often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. (Image: Getty)
However, while it is fun to theorise over who may have won between the two men if they were to fight, a bout between the pair could never have happened due to the massive difference in weight.
Instead, the both Tyson and Mayweather have spent recent years competing in exhibition fights, with Tyson’s next one coming up next week against controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
And just three years ago, Mayweather face Jake’s older brother Logan Paul in a exhbition fight at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
While no official winner was announced, it was clear that the boxing great got the better of the YouTuber.