One time boxing champ Mike Tyson has decided to go toe-to-fin with a shark.
As part of Discovery Channel’s annual “Shark Week” programming event, the longtime Las Vegan will hit the water for “Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef.”
Ring announcer Michael Buffer will call the “fight,” scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 9.
“I took on this challenger to overcome fears I still deal with in life,” Tyson said in a statement. “I equate this with overcoming my fear of getting back into the ring at 54 years old. I learned from this experience doing Shark Week that whatever intimidates me, I am still able to step up to the challenge of overcoming anything that would prevent me from accomplishing my life’s mission of reaching my highest potential in life and bringing me closer to God.” Few details were offered about the special.
“These two heavyweights will square off underwater, where Mike Tyson will try to score a TKO over the massive shark … all in the name of research,” the Discovery announcement read. “And don’t worry, no sharks were harmed (or bitten) in the making of this episode.”
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Shark Week made similar headlines in 2017 when Olympic sensation Michael Phelps “raced” a couple of sharks. In reality, scientists measured the animals’ swimming speeds, then challenged Phelps to break them in a controlled environment.