Chris Eubank Sr has revealed that he still feels ashamed for calling out Mike Tyson for an exhibition bout when both men were retired.
The former two-weight world champion (middleweight and super-middleweight) has declared ‘Iron Mike’ immediately shot down his request.
“Mike Tyson is my hero, I always say I have one regret in boxing and that is Michael Watson,” Eubank Sr said during a fan Q&A on his YouTube channel.
“But there is another regret I have. When I was thinking or in that energy of money I had retired, this was 2000 and… I don’t even know.
“And I had asked Mike for a chance to fight him in an exhibition match and Mike, his response put me right back into my place and will always have me in my place.
“Mike said to me, so I’m going to impersonate him, ‘Come on man, you’re my friend.’
“Wow. Shameful, shameful, that is what happens when you are chasing money.
“I wasn’t evolved at that time, I was still trapped in the game, get money, get, get. Wow.”
Eubank Sr retired from professional boxing in 1998 following a second consecutive defeat to Carl Thompson and hasn’t returned to the ring since.
But the same can’t be said about Tyson.
After hanging up his gloves in 2005, Tyson partook in a couple of exhibition bouts with Corrie Sanders and Roy Jones Jr before returning to the paid ranks to square off with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Paul and Tyson’s highly controversial crossover clash broke the record for the largest age gap between two competitors in professional boxing history.
Eubank Sr called out Tyson for an exhibition but was ‘put in his place’[/caption]
The 24-year discrepancy between 49-year-old Archie Moore and 25-year-old Mike DiBiase for ‘The Old Mongoose’s’ swansong fight in March 15, 1963, stood at the top of the pile for 61 years.
But the staggering 31-year age gap between Tyson, 58, and Paul, 27, blew that out of the water.
Moore, who holds the distinction of being the longest-reigning light-heavyweight world champion of all time, overcame the considerable odds stacked against him to stop DiBiase in the third round.
However, Tyson was unable to perform the same heroics as he laboured to a unanimous decision loss in a fight that felt more like a sparring match.
Boxing fans will be hoping Tyson is now retired for good, but the boxing legend didn’t rule out the possibility of continuing his career.
“I don’t know [if this will be my last fight] It depends on the situation,” he said post-fight. “I don’t think so.”
