Former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson is backing Indian MMA upstart Kumite 1 League, and while in India, ‘Iron Mike’ spent a little time talking up its format.
Kumite 1 League will be going for a grand opening on September 29, with their Team UAE vs Team India card. The event has total of twelve fights, with each being fought between members of Team India and Team UAE. The card marks the first time MMA fighters will be representing a country as a team in a professional MMA match. Not only that, but the show will also be attended by the legendary boxing world champion, Mike Tyson.
At a press conference ahead of the event, Tyson was asked how he personally felt about the format of the league. Tyson responded by saying that he thought it was an awesome idea. “I think the Kumite 1 League format is awesome. Fighting for your country gives it much more incentive,” he said. Tyson took time at the press conference to speak on other topics as well. Among them, he informed the press present that he was going to the slums of Mumbai to visit children there. He addressed the theme of pugilists coming from impoverished backgrounds, saying that “I think the poorer you are the better boxer you are. The most successful fighters have come from slums. All the fighters who come from the slums are successful. All the current top fighters are from the slums.”
‘Iron’ Mike Tyson will be attending the Kumite 1 League: India vs UAE event in the NSCI Dome, Mumbai on Saturday, September 29. The event will be live on Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD.
