‘What if he comes back and DIES in the ring?’: Dillian Whyte SLAMS Mike Tyson’s comeback plans and says he’s worried 53-year-old legend could get ‘seriously hurt’ if he returns to the ring
- Mike Tyson could return to boxing this year, with a Tyson Fury fight on the cards
- The 53-year-old boxing legend has not fought professionally since June 2005
- Dillian Whyte fears the very worst for Tyson if he makes a boxing comeback
- Whyte says Tyson must do more than post Instagram videos to prove he is ready
Dilian Whyte worries that Mike Tyson could die in the ring if he makes a return to boxing this year.
Tyson, 53, revealed his intention to return to the sport and the possibility of a fight against Tyson Fury has been mentioned recently.
But Whyte fears the worst for the undisputed heavyweight world champion and is against Tyson returning to the ring.
Mike Tyson (pictured) could die in the ring if he makes a return to boxing says Dillian Whyte
Whyte (pictured) is against the 53-year-old boxing legend returning to the sport this year
He told talkSPORT: ‘It’s silly. If they can’t sanction a fight with me for three years, why the hell are they going to sanction a fight with a 53-year-old man and a 31-year-old man?
‘It makes no sense. That’s silly. Mauricio are I are cool, but it’s a very silly thing to say. He shouldn’t be encouraging it.
‘What if he comes back and dies in the ring? What’s going to happen then?
‘We’ve already got enough darkness and enough mud thrown on the sport as it is, we don’t need any more.’
Tyson hasn’t appeared in the ring in a professional fight since losing to Kevin McBride in June 2005.
Tyson (pictured right) has not fought since losing to Kevin McBridge (right) in June 2005
After that fight, the boxing legend revealed he would be hanging up his gloves after losing passion for the sport.
With Tyson heading towards a return, Whyte thinks Tyson should not risk is legendary status in the game and not risk tarnishing his reputation.
He added: ‘We’ve seen it happen time and time again with older guys coming back and fighting for a long time. It’s just like, what’s the point?
‘You’re a legend, you’re a living legend. Be that and leave it alone.
‘But we don’t know people’s financial situation, what they’re doing or what they’ve been through.
A fight against Tyson Fury (pictured) is being discussed as part of Mike Tyson’s return
‘He might just feel like he wants to test himself, but there are easier ways to test yourself than coming back and fighting with these young, hungry guys.
‘He might get seriously hurt and that’s the biggest worry for me.’
According to WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, the 53-year-old’s return would be ‘handled with care’ should he decide to come back.
Meanwhile, Tyson has been teasing boxing fans across the world with Instagram videos of his intense workouts.
The boxing legend has been posting Instagram videos of him undergoing intense workouts
Whyte believes the American boxing legend has to do more to prove he can handle the intensity of the ring.
He said: ‘It’s all good watching someone do a one-minute clip on Instagram.
‘Getting back in the ring and fighting 12 three-minute rounds… don’t get me wrong he’s probably still got the power to chin a lot of guys, but at that age your mind tells you stuff when your eyes see stuff but your body won’t allow you to do it.
‘You can think you’ve got it and you’re still this and that and you’re going against these young guys.