Boxing legend Mike Tyson is stepping back into the spotlight in a way only he can—by tackling both the stage and the ring with his trademark bravado. On September 8, 2025, Tyson, now 59, announced his return to live performance with a brand-new one-man show, "Return of the Mike," set to tour four Hard Rock Live venues across the United States starting November 9, 2025. This marks Tyson's first stage appearance since his acclaimed 2013 national tour, "Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth." And if that isn't enough to get fans buzzing, Tyson is also gearing up for a blockbuster exhibition fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., scheduled for spring 2026—a showdown that's already generating fireworks, both in and out of the ring.
Tyson's four-city tour kicks off at the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois, on November 9. He'll then head to Cincinnati for a second performance on November 23, before landing at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on December 14. That Florida show will be taped for broadcast on a major global streaming platform in 2026, giving fans worldwide a front-row seat to Tyson's unfiltered stories. The tour wraps up at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on January 23, 2026.
"A lot has happened since the last time I did a one-man show," Tyson told ESPN. "I get to tell you guys about all of my new lawsuits that you don't know about and some other pretty exciting stuff that has happened in my life. It'll be very exciting, pretty riveting, a few sad stories and a totally different insight on the things that you may have already known about." Tyson has been working closely with his wife, Lakiha "Kiki" Tyson, to craft what he calls a "no-filter self-analyzation." The show promises to dive deep into his struggles with addiction and mental health, while also offering candid personal stories and fresh reflections on his storied boxing career.
Of course, no Mike Tyson story would be complete without a few tales from the ring. He plans to discuss his recent record-breaking bout with Jake Paul in November 2024—a fight that almost didn't happen. Tyson was forced to delay the match after suffering a severe ulcer flare-up on an airplane. "There are so many things I'm going to talk about with that fight," Tyson said. "I didn't know how dangerous an ulcer was. I thought it was going to calm down in an hour or two, but I passed out on the plane. I was just bleeding everywhere. There was so much blood. They had to stop the flight and take me to the hospital." Despite doctors' initial hesitance, Tyson was eventually cleared to fight, though he ultimately lost to Paul on points.
That loss didn't dampen Tyson's fighting spirit. In fact, he's now preparing for what could be one of the most anticipated exhibition matches in boxing history: a clash with Floyd Mayweather Jr., the undefeated five-division champion. The fight, confirmed by both icons in early September 2025, is slated for spring 2026 and has already set the boxing world abuzz. Tyson didn't hold back when addressing Mayweather's recent claims of being greater than the legendary Muhammad Ali. "He's very delusional, he can't listen. If he was anywhere near that realm of great Ali he'd be able to take his kids to school by himself," Tyson said in a May 2025 interview. "He can't take his kids to school by himself and he's talking about he's great? Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people, greatness is being accepted by the people. He can't take his kids alone to school by himself. He's a little scared man... a very small scared man."
Mayweather, 48, retired in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record and has since dabbled in several exhibition bouts, including a recent outing against John Gotti III in August 2025. Known for his supreme confidence, Mayweather brushed off Tyson's remarks, stating, "I've been doing this for 30 years and there hasn't been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy." The build-up to their fight is already dripping with classic boxing bravado. Tyson, for his part, sounded both incredulous and ominous about the upcoming bout. He told TMZ, "This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen. I still can't believe Floyd wants to really do this. It's going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it's signed and it's happening."
While Tyson juggles preparations for both the stage and the ring, he admits the demands are equally intense. "[Preparing for the stage and preparing for a fight] are dead even," Tyson told ESPN. "But what I found out is that athletes like myself and entertainers are able to perform because we like the pressure. So being on stage, talking and acting is nothing." Yet, he also confessed that returning to fight in front of a live crowd after two decades was overwhelming—especially after his 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. took place in an empty arena due to Covid-19 restrictions. "It was scary [walking to the ring that night], because I hadn't walked out for a professional fight [in front of a crowd] in 20 years and I wasn't prepared for all the love the fans gave me that night. It overwhelmed me," Tyson said. "But in all actuality, that fight could have never taken place. The doctors didn't want the fight to happen [after the ulcer flared up]. But once I was cleared, I was all-in."
As if Tyson's plate wasn't already full, he's also keeping a close eye on the current boxing landscape. He recently weighed in on the upcoming super-fight between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Terence Crawford, scheduled for September 13, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. "I want Crawford to win, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen," Tyson said on The Big Podcast, hosted by Shaquille O'Neal. "I would like for it to happen, [but] this guy [Alvarez] is a hard puncher, he's a smart fighter. I want to see it." Tyson acknowledged the size difference between the fighters, noting that Canelo, 35, will be competing at his preferred weight of 168 pounds, while Crawford, 37, is moving up to that division for the first time. The fight, for the undisputed super-middleweight titles, has split the boxing world, with some experts favoring Canelo's power and others touting Crawford's technical prowess.
Tyson, who became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at age 20 after defeating Trevor Berbick in 1986, knows a thing or two about overcoming odds. His own career has been a rollercoaster of triumphs, controversies, and comebacks. Now, as he prepares to share his journey with fans in a raw, unfiltered format, Tyson is embracing both his past and his future—whether it's in the ring, on the stage, or in the unpredictable world of boxing commentary.
With "Return of the Mike" set to offer fans unprecedented access to Tyson's life, and an epic showdown with Mayweather looming on the horizon, the next chapter for "Iron Mike" promises to be as riveting as any before. Boxing aficionados and entertainment seekers alike are in for a wild ride as Tyson proves, once again, that he's never truly out of the fight.
