Brazilian fighter Vitor Belfort competes against Brazilian fighter Lyoto Machida during their middleweight bout at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 12, 2018. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — From one legendary fighter to another, Vitor Belfort lauded Mike Tyson as the former undisputed heavyweight champion attempts a comeback fight 15 years since hanging up his boxing gloves.
Tyson has been one of the most talked about athletes the past several weeks ever since he spoke about his willingness to fight again for charity last month.
“I think that (to fight again) is a decision Mike has made for himself. It takes a lot of courage to step back in the ring, especially at that age. I admire him for his bravery and wish him the best of luck,” said Belfort, the former UFC light heavyweight champion who is now signed with ONE Championship.
“He needs to train smart, because what used to work for him before might not work for him now. This is new ground he’s discovering for himself, and it’s a wonderful journey.”
During his heyday, Tyson was an unstoppable force. He became the youngest heavyweight champion ever at 20 years old.
But even at his advanced age, Tyson showed in his recent training videos that he can still pack a punch with his speed and power still evident.
As far as his ring return is concerned, nothing is final yet but he’s drawn interest from the likes of UFC legends Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock as well as fellow ex-boxing champions Evander Holyfield and Shannon Briggs.
“He (Tyson) needs to make smart choices,” Belfort said. “The right opponent is key. He needs an opponent that will bring value to the market, and not just an opponent that will try to make some money.”
Like Tyson, the 43-year-old Belfort is also eyeing a comeback likely against Alain Ngalani for his first fight at ONE Championship.
Belfort hasn’t fought since getting knocked out by Lyoto Machida at UFC 224 in May 2018.