Fenech warns SBW to stay well clear of Tyson

Mike Tyson’s great mate Jeff Fenech has laughed off a proposal for the former heavyweight champion to get into the ring with Sonny Bill Williams, declaring the cross-code star will end up ‘‘in the morgue’’ if the bout went ahead.

Boxing promoter Brian Amatruda has tabled $1 million in a bid to get Tyson to Australia to fight either Williams, Paul Gallen or Barry Hall. There were reports the offer was upped to A$3 million yesterday.

Tyson is preparing to make a comeback of sorts at the age of 53, seeking to participate in an exhibition bout. Footage of him hitting the pads last week went viral, with the former champion displaying his trademark power.

Fenech is one of Tyson’s closest friends and will likely play a role in any comeback. However, the Australian boxing legend declared Tyson wouldn’t be stepping into the ring with any of the former footballers.

‘‘Great publicity, but it’s not going to happen,’’ Fenech said. ‘‘They’re offering him half a million or a million dollars – he could get more than $20 million to do it in Saudi Arabia. Why would he come here?

‘‘Let me tell you something. If he hits Sonny Bill Williams or Paul Gallen, he will be up for manslaughter.

‘‘I’m serious. If he punched Paul Gallen, he could kill him. These guys have never been punched by somebody like Mike.

‘‘You see what he’s doing to the pads, imagine Mike hitting one of those guys with one of those uppercuts. More than likely they will be in the morgue the next day.

‘‘Fighting Sonny Bill? Who has Sonny Bill fought? Sonny Bill won’t even fight Paul Gallen because I don’t believe he can beat him.’’

Amatruda has contacted celebrity agent Max Markson in a bid to make the event a reality.

However, Markson – who helped bring Tyson to Australia in 2012 for a speaking tour – said the Covid-19 outbreak and visa issues presented obstacles in making any fight a reality in the short term. ‘‘It’s a great story, but let’s see if we can make it all happen,’’ Markson said.

‘‘Imagine Mike [Tyson] hitting one of those guys with one of those uppercuts. More than likely they will be in the morgue the next day.’’

Jeff Fenech

Fenech said Tyson would definitely return to the ring, but it would be as an exhibition rather than a professional bout.

‘‘He will do it, probably for charity, it will happen. One million per cent,’’ Fenech said.

‘‘It’s an exhibition. Mike doesn’t want to hurt anybody and nobody wants to hurt Mike.

‘‘Mike is 53 years of age, he doesn’t want to get punched in the head. He is happy to do something for charity and do an exhibition.’’

Former Cronulla Sharks captain Gallen, who contested a controversial draw against Hall, said he would accept a fight with Tyson if a deal could be brokered.

‘‘He was a beast for so long and they say 50 is the new 40, so that might be in his favour,’’ Gallen told wwos.com.au.

‘‘If he’s able to get fit, and at age 50 it would be hard, but with his natural ability and power he’d probably compete with a lot of world-ranked heavyweights these days I think.

‘‘Mike Tyson was my hero growing up; not only mine, I’m sure a lot of people’s. He was just this phenomenal beast that was 5’11’’, looked like half the size of the blokes he was going in against and he’d knock them out with one punch.

‘‘He’s an idol of a lot of people and he’s probably still the most famous name in boxing. I think it would be great if we could have him in Australia, but I think we have to be realistic.

‘‘I’d be happy for a charity to be involved, but I’d be getting paid for it. You’ve got to remember, Mike Tyson is Mike Tyson – he hasn’t got an off switch, he hasn’t got an exhibition fight switch. If he gets in the ring with someone, we’ve all seen what he’s done to people in the past and that mentality is not going to change.’’