Boxing legends Glenn McCrory and Evander Holyfield have verbally agreed to a huge fight next year in the sport’s latest comeback story.
McCrory, the former cruiserweight champion, has told talkSPORT.com a fight with heavyweight icon Holyfield will ‘100% happen’, potentially at the O2 Arena next April.
The Brit, 56, has not fought for 27 years since his defeat to Alfred Cole in 1993, while American Holyfield, 58, last appeared in the ring nine years ago, beating Brian Nielsen in 2011.
Their comeback fight will be promoted by the Bare Knuckle Boxing company, although it will play out with gloves, and YouTube boxers Jake Paul and Joe Weller are being lined up for the undercard.
“I spoke to Holyfield on the phone the other night and he said he’ll fight me,” McCrory told talkSPORT.com.
“He’s been scared of me for 30 years, but now he’s finally going to fight me. He’s getting brave.
“We’re looking at April, I’m talking to Joe Brown and Jim Freeman from the BKB company and they want to put it on at the O2 in April.
“I was champion after Evander moved up to heavyweight, I took his vacant crown and I said to him the other night, ‘Why did you move up? Were you scared of me?’
“It’s 30 years in the making. I was the heir to his cruiserweight throne and he was the fight I always wanted, he was the best and he moved away.
“I’ve always been in good shape, I climbed the eighth-highest mountain in the world last year, so if I can do that with no training, I can certainly fight Evander Holyfield – it’s what I do!”
It follows the entertaining exhibition bout between ex-heavyweight kings Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr last Saturday – and the winner of McCrory vs Holyfield could face Iron Mike next.
Both men have history with Tyson: Holyfield beat him twice and infamously lost a chunk of his ear, while McCrory was Iron Mike’s sparring partner, going 96 rounds with him during his peak.
Holyfield has made his desire for a third fight with Tyson abundantly clear – and McCrory wants him too.
“When I beat Evander, then Tyson’s next,” he added. “I was there with Tyson in the days, I was there in his prime and I kicked his ass.
“Back then, he was getting all the money and the fame and I got nothing, so it’s payback!”
