Mike Tyson is putting his name behind a new amateur boxing tournament in Las Vegas, hoping to address what he sees as a crisis in the sport. The Mike Tyson Invitational, scheduled for March 12–14, will bring together top amateur boxers from across the United States.
“Listen, boxing is dying, and that is what’s driving me,” Tyson said. “If I can be involved in any way in the uplifting and development of boxing, I’ll be happy with that.”
The 59-year-old Hall of Famer has been alarmed by the decline of the sport at the grassroots level. He recalled that during his own rise in the 1980s, young fighters had numerous opportunities to compete. “Before, when I was fighting, we could fight at the Ohio state fair. Then I’d go to Colorado the next two weeks and fight in the national tournament,” Tyson said. “That’s what we need to be able to compete with the other countries. We need more competition.”
The invitational is Tyson’s attempt to create a high-level amateur platform that can help restore boxing’s relevance. He pointed to the uncertainty surrounding boxing’s Olympic future until the International Olympic Committee confirmed its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games last March.
While major professional events like the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford fight in September draw huge crowds, Tyson believes those moments are not enough to sustain the sport. He advocates for a model similar to the UFC, where underperformers are not repeatedly given opportunities. “In the UFC, if they have one bad fight, the guy might not be in the fold. It’s for entertainment. That’s what it’s about. In (boxing), if the guy stinks up the joint, they keep using him,” he said.
Tyson has also expressed openness to working with UFC CEO Dana White, who has a multiyear agreement with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and Sela through TKO. Tyson attended the Alvarez-Crawford card, the first event under that partnership.
Reflecting on his own career, Tyson noted that entertainment value is paramount. “We’re all entertainers, trust me, especially fighters,” he said. “If you don’t perform well, people give their opinion about you. You may not like it. My job was always to make the people happy as a fighter.”
The invitational may not single-handedly revive American boxing, but Tyson sees it as a necessary step. “I was taught as a kid, boxing is about putting asses in seats,” he said. “That’s where greatness comes from.”
