Ex-boxing champ Mike Tyson to visit Mumbai

Team Udayavani, Sep 5, 2018, 9:31 AM IST

Mumbai: Former controversial American heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is to make his firstever visit to India. Tyson is slated to attend the first fight night of the Kumite 1 League, to be held here on September 29, it was announced Tuesday.

The League organisers said this will be the first time theonce fearsome heavyweight champion will be visiting the country as the mixed team martial arts league’s mentor. The leagueis supported by the All India Mixed Martial Arts Federation (AIMMAF) and World Kickboxing Federation.

“Tyson is the mentor of the league. We wanted a legend, MMA being a new sport, there is no legend till now. In combat sport, after Muhammad Ali, Tyson is the legend and so we have got him,” League founder Mohamedali Budhwani told reporters here.

The inaugural season of the league will see eight teams representing different countries in action. Each team will comprise nine fighters, of which two will be women, the organisers said. Details of the entire league are to be announced later. Budhwani claimed that the league is a world cup of MMA and is being initiated by India.