Wanderlei Silva Believes Bareknuckle Match With Mike Tyson Generates More Than Mayweather Fight

It’s fair to say MMA veteran Wanderlei Silva believes a bareknuckle fight with Mike Tyson will be a huge affair.

With Tyson’s plans of a comeback for a charity event, it was recently revealed that Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship were willing to offer the boxing legend in excess of $20 million to compete in bareknuckle format.

Their preferred opponent for “Iron Mike” was Silva, and the former PRIDE champion is all in for the opportunity especially given the current global situation.

“This fight has everything to sell a lot, especially now that everyone is stuck at home (due to the coronavirus pandemic),” Silva told MMA Fighting. “It would be the perfect moment to book a fight like this.”

Tyson vs. Silva To Outdo Mayweather?

Given the aggressive styles of both fighters and the fact that many people are at home due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, “The Axe Murderer” even thinks a potential bareknuckle contest would generate more money than a Floyd Mayweather fight.

“There’s nothing going on right now, so a fight like this has everything to generate more money than (Floyd) Mayweather’s fights because of the entertainment and other factors,” Silva said. “He’s aggressive and so am I; I’m in great shape both mentally and physically, so it has everything to be a great show for everyone.”

While that remains to be seen, any potential fight hinges on Tyson and whether he wants to compete in bareknuckle format. According to MMA striking coach Rafael Cordeiro — who is working with Tyson and is notably a friend of Silva’s — that doesn’t seem to be the plan for now.

But things could always change in an instant in the combat sports world.

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