Sulaiman supportive of Mike Tyson comeback

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

“Mike Tyson was the youngest to win a world championship. Maybe he will be the oldest!” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told Stats Perform News courtesy of @trcksuits. “He’s a tremendous, legendary figure. He’s an icon for the sport, an icon for the WBC. He could knock out anyone with one punch, at any time! So of course we will support him. I don’t like to speculate. This is a topic we are all entertained by. An exhibition is one thing. If he comes back, he has to be licensed and has to go through a thorough process.

“I’m not going to kill the dream. I’m going to be very supportive of Mike Tyson, he deserves it. If the dream is to say ‘I will be ranked,’ I am saying yes, we will rank him.

“Every world champion has a provision that he can come back, like Sugar Ray [Leonard], who was inactive. But Tyson’s case is different, he’s been away many years. But I am in full support of Mike Tyson. I believe this will bring entertainment and he’s doing it for charity. He wants to serve the world in this difficult moment.”

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  • WBC President Sulaiman says if Tyson comes back in the ring he will “rank” him. I wish he could define the word “rank” for me. There are many current fighters standing in line, who have fought their a$%es off to get ranked, and Mike may get to cut in line? Any tune ups to even get ranked? Mike has been retired for years and is in his 50’s! Good grief… I realize that Tyson is/was a “show grabber” for entertainment, but here we go with the propaganda, conjecture, and politics playing into boosting sales for money to be made. Yep, it’s boxing, simply entertainment for fans and it’s a business. I am concerned as well for Mike’s health fighting at this age. Based on the general rules, he will have to go thru some radiologic exams (possible CT scan of the head) to rule out degenerative health risks. Like I say, they say this fight is an exhibition. Let’s see if it is truly a sparring match for easy money.

    • Boxing is the one sport where the governing bodies can do whatever they want and make the rules up as they go. I’m not exactly sure what the hell Sulaiman was even trying to say when he said they would rank him-it was was oddly worded, but how can any self respecting organization justify ranking a man who hasn’t fought in 15 years?

  • They all think they can beat “father time”. Every dog has their day and they had there’s. Let the young bloods have their day.

  • this article shows more of how Sulaiman is willing to bend the rules for fighters that generates revenue. Im convinced all these events and ceremonies he do is to coverup all the shady politics. Statements about making Tyson “ranked”, if that is his dream, makes the WBC look bad.

  • Sulaiman is not saying anything wrong. If they rank Tyson at 200 it is still a ranking. Salaiman also correctly says if Tyson comes back (i.e. not an exhibition fight), “he has to be licensed and has to go through a thorough process.” All proper.

    • Henry, you are correct, but I bet they bend the rules if Tyson wants ranked and make him in the top 20 to generate the exposure for entertainment/money purposes. Nothing surprises me in this day and age. Maybe I am wrong. Who knows….

      • Will be an interesting scenario yes. But in the end this all will probably never get to Tyson being ranked, but hopefully only some good exhibition match that has been well marketed.

  • He should get a top 20 ranking if he beats a top 20 fighter. Good to see he is doing it for charity. Maybe MS might top up any sanctioning fees to add to the donation?

  • People have gone mad with this Tyson comeback. As for Sulaiman, mad is not the word. Here is a lunatic who will rate Tyson based solely on a comeback announcement. When boxing chooses to be self-destructive like this I get upset.

  • “Guy that will make money off of a Mike Tyson comeback, is supportive of a Mike Tyson comeback.”

    News at 11:00.

  • Tyson deserves to straight into the top 5. I give him a red hot chance v Joshua – if Josh doesn’t run like he did When he “fought” the human blimp Tyson will connect, even at 55 (or whatever) anyone that hits Josh folds him up – body builder syndrome too many roids have affected his ability to take a punch. He reminds me of Pele Reid with less talent.

    • A lot less talented than Pele Reid! Reid was definitely one of the top 5 heavyweights in history, prolly 3rd! 1. Joe Louis 2. Jack Dempsey 3.Pele Reid 4. Muhammad Ali 5. Rocky Marciano

  • HOFamer Mike Tyson, NOOOOOO!! Please rest in the shade as a HOF lion and watch the young lions play in the squared circle.

  • I guess a loss against McBride 15 years ago qualifies you to be ranked……so long as the WBC can make $ from it.

  • They should dig up the corpse of Micheal Dokes for a 3 round exhibition. That will serve as a gauge as to how well Tyson will fare against the current crop of heavies. If Tyson passes that test, them let him face Wilder!

  • I was hoping that maybe Sulaiman was going to be better than his father. He is so concerned he claims earlier about the health of boxers, yet he supports Tyson coming back? People thought Foreman was crazy when he came back in his late 30’s. He lost to a very capable boxer in Jimmy Young. I should remind Sulaiman that Tyson lost to Kevin McBride. Not only that he could not continue. I think Mike will be fighting the other greats or contenders from the past in these matches, if he does come back, and the idea that he might become the oldest heavyweight champion ever is absurd in like of what Happened to Bernard Hopkins. Maybe Mike has a plan, but I think once he gets hit, as he says, everyone has a plan until they get punched. Sulaiman is just garbage for his stupid comment.

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