Former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson is reportedly in talks with an MMA legend over a boxing match in Saudi Arabia later this year.
Tyson retired from boxing in 2005, but returned to the ring in 2020 for an exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr that was scored a split draw.
He now seems to be targeting another comeback, but this time against a fighter who made his name inside the Octagon.
Russian star Fedor Emelianenko is being lined up as a potential opponent for Tyson, and negotiations are already underway for the fight to take place in the Middle East in 2024, according to the MMA Pack.
Emelianenko is an iconic name in MMA circles, having fought some of the biggest stars in the sport including Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir and Fabricio Werdum over the course of his 23-year career.
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Mike Tyson is reportedly in talks to fight an MMA legend in Saudi Arabia later this year
Tyson is a former heavyweight world champion, but has been retired for almost two decades
Tyson could be set to face Russian MMA icon Fedor Emelianenko (above) in a boxing match
Emelianenko is now 47, but only stepped away from MMA last year after losing to Ryan Bader at Bellator 290.
Tyson is 10 years his senior at 57, and has not had a competitive bout in almost two decades.
However, he has regularly posted clips on social media of himself training on the pads in recent years and has remained in good condition.
He also came back into the spotlight last year when he worked in Francis Ngannou’s corner for his crossover clash with Tyson Fury.
Ngannou sent Fury to the canvas in round three and was widely praised for his performance in the contest, but Fury walked away with a narrow points win.
Helping Ngannou from the other side of the ropes may have made Tyson hungry to have another fight, and Emelianenko talked up a potential bout between the pair last year.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, he said: ‘MMA is done, 100 percent. I’m not going back to MMA.
‘I want to try myself in boxing. I think that’s going to be interesting. Mike Tyson would be an interesting fight.’
He could now get his wish, and the duo may be set for major paydays if Saudi Arabia agrees to host the event.
