‘I’ve fought Mike Tyson – here’s how his fight with Floyd Mayweather ends’

A former opponent of Mike Tyson’s, Kevin McBride, has revealed the motivating force behind the former heavyweight boxing world champion’s desire to not only meet Floyd Mayweather in the ring but beat all kinds of living hell out of him.

McBride, from Clones in Ireland, competed as an amateur fighter in the 1992 Olympic Games but is best-known for his 2005 victory over Tyson, whom he retired in the sixth round of a bout in Washington D.C. It was the last time Tyson ever fought until his more recent run in which he took on Roy Jones Jr. in a COVID-era exhibition, ahead of an eight-round loss via decision to Jake Paul in 2024.

GIVE ME SPORT heard through Tyson’s advisor that he may never shut the door on boxing, particularly when it comes to exhibitions, and, as we reported last month, he’s linked with a return to the ring against Mayweather at a to-be-determined venue and city early in 2026.

Now, McBride has had his say on the Tyson vs Mayweather showdown — and the 52-year-old said it’s bad news for ‘Money’ May.

‘Floyd Should be Careful,’ ex-Tyson Opponent Says

Since Mayweather finished Conor McGregor in the best-selling crossover event of all time in combat sports, the American has taken part in eight unofficial events, including exhibitions involving Tenshin Nasukawa, Logan Paul, and John Gotti III. His next could be the most successful of the lot, though. But McBride has warned Mayweather it could also be the toughest.

Speaking to CoinPoker, McBride said: “Floyd Mayweather can run [but he can’t hide, because] if Mike Tyson lands even one clean punch on his chin, when’s he going to wake up?”

McBride said Mayweather may have been lulled into a false sense of security by watching Tyson struggle with conditioning for seven of the eight rounds he went with Paul. “There is a good chance Floyd Mayweather watched the Jake Paul fight and thought he still has the legs to dance around Mike Tyson for a few rounds.

“But Floyd should be careful,” he said, “because this one is personal for Mike.”

McBride then revealed the motivating force for Tyson. “Mayweather once disrespected Muhammad Ali, and Mike never forgot that. A motivated Mike Tyson with something to prove is a dangerous man. If he is carrying a grudge into that ring, it should keep Mayweather awake at night.”

He continued: “And from experience, I was there with Mike. I felt the pressure, the intimidation, the power. It’s not something you can understand until you face it, and he’s still got it.”

Mayweather, McBride feels, will therefore try and negate Tyson’s advantages with certain exhibition rulings. “Mayweather will want the biggest and most padded gloves in boxing history to take the edge off Tyson’s power, a ring bigger than a town square to run from Tyson in, and two-minute rounds.

“That’s the only way he survives getting slaughtered. People forget, Tyson might be older, but power’s the last thing to go. Both of them are legends in their own way, Mayweather for his brains, Tyson for his brutality. But if this fight ever happened, it wouldn’t be about legacy, it would be about money. Simple as that. Still, I’d pay to see it. Two icons, two totally different worlds colliding. The fans would love it, and at the end of the day, that’s what boxing’s all about, giving people something to talk about.”