Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield prepared to face former rival Mike Tyson

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has confirmed he is prepared to face former rival Mike Tyson in a trilogy fight for charity – but there’s a catch.

Tyson who is now 53 and Holyfield who is now 57 faced off in two epic bouts throughout their professional careers with the 1997 fight remembered for ‘Iron Mike’ biting a chunk off of his rival’s ear.

However, Holyfield came out on top both times, which is why he’s only willing to agree to a third bout if Tyson is the one who asks for it to be set up.

Holyfield told the BBC "If I ask him it's almost like me being a bully saying I want to go against somebody I've beaten twice,"

He says "I don't want pressure on me that, 'You just want to fight Mike because you know you can beat him.'

Holyfield adds "If he hits me, I'm going to hit back. I'm going to be 58, he'll be 54. You talk about being in good health and doing things the proper way that respects it. I don't have no problem with it."

Tyson has made headlines in recent weeks after releasing several training videos showing the amazing shape he is in, fuelling speculation he could be returning to the ring.

Holyfield then went and added to the situation when he announced his return for a charity bout on Instagram earlier this month.

Tyson, the first heavyweight to hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles, retired after a loss to Kevin McBride in 2005, while Holyfield called time on his career nine years later.

If they do return, they will be following in the footsteps of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao in coming out of retirement for an exhibition fight.

TVNZ