Mike Tyson, Jake Paul and John Fury - Butterbean's three-fight wishlist emerges
Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, and John Fury are among the names that Butterbean hopes to face as he plots a surprise return to the world of boxing. The 58-year-old, real name Eric Esch, hasn't fought since his 2013 TKO loss to Kirk Lawton, and his inactivity has led to other battles on the other side of the ropes for the Atlanta-born bruiser.
While he usually weighed in for his bouts between 300 and 400lbs, inactivity saw his mass skyrocket past the 500lb mark, and he subsequently became dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. What followed was also a dark and deep-seated depression that left him bedridden for the best part of a year.
But with the help of WWE superstar 'Diamond' Dallas Page and his incredible yoga programme, Butterbean could once again find self-belief and turn his life around - shedding more than 200lbs and feeling fitter now than he did in his 20s. And now, the pugilist is even ready to return to the squared circle for one last dance under the bright lights, throwing down the gauntlet to the likes of Tyson, Paul, and Fury.
Here, Mirror Fighting breaks down three opponents that Butterbean named on his radar during an exclusive interview via Lucky Energy...
Mike Tyson
Talks of a fight between Butterbean and Tyson taking place are nothing new, with whispers of a mega-fight between the two originally emerging in 2020. Butterbean claims that 'Iron' Mike's team initially approached him five years ago for the prospect of a bout, but he ultimately had to dismiss it due to his battles with weight and mental health.
He explained: "The reason I turned down, because I couldn't walk. He had a fight fall out and they reached out to me. I don't know which camp reached out, but when you can't walk, you're in a wheelchair, you can't fight."
However, after shedding the weight and eyeing a return to the ring, Butterbean has now thrown out an offer to Tyson, 59, who recently made his own comeback to the sport to take on YouTuber-turned-scrapper Paul in November, in a fight he lost via unanimous decision.
He explained: "But guess what? I'm not in a wheelchair no more. I went and moved to DDP for a while, did his yoga programme, and I'm in the best shape of my life right now. I feel better now at 50-something than I did when I was in my 20s, which is insane. I can't explain it, but the Fountain of Youth, I dove in it and I come out so much better."
Highlighting a weakness in the former world heavyweight champion, he added: "You know, Tyson don't have a chin. People don't realise that. Mike cannot take a punch.
"He's normally so quick, people don't hit him that much. But I spar with Buster Mathis Jr, they have the exact same style. They've been trained by the same people. And I had no trouble hitting him."
Jake Paul
Despite running an offer to Tyson, Butterbean has made it incredibly clear that 28-year-old Paul would be his first choice opponent for a return to the ring. The hard-hitting heavyweight has targeted the up-and-comer time and time again since slimming down substantially, claiming that Paul bad-mouthed him when he was in a wheelchair.
He said: "As soon as he says yes, I'm ready. You know, I was in really bad shape. I was in a wheelchair for over three years. I couldn't walk. I got over 500 pounds. I was fat and sloppy and couldn't walk, and Jake wanted to talk bad about me then.
"So, I decided to get my fat butt in shape. And guess what I did? I'm 280 right now, 285. I've never been under 300 in my life that I know of. And now that I'm ready, he's like, 'Well, dude, you're a legend. I can't fight you right now.' Yeah, buddy. Let's get it going.'
On his keys to victory, Butterbean added: "I don't think he's afraid of me, but I think his people know that if he gets knocked out, his career's over. Like, I would knock him out bad. I hit way too hard for him."
He continued: "Needless to say, Jake was a joke in the beginning. Just another YouTuber out there trying to prove a point. He's got a lot better. So I wouldn't mind sharing the ring with just to fight him. Not just to shut him out because I think he was worthless, but he kind of p***ed me off."
With a record of 12-1 in the squared-circle, Paul has achieved a number of big-name wins over the likes of Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Mike Perry and Tyson to name a few. His latest win came in the form of a unanimous decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at the end of June - a man who has previously held the WBC middleweight title.
John Fury
In a shocking turn of events, Butterbean also called out John Fury, the father of former heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, during his interview, while also revealing that a fight was on the table between the two in the past. Asked about if he would take a fight with the recently retired Tyson, he said: "I'd love to fight him," before turning his attention to John.
He continued: "I'd fight the old man first, beat him up, slap around him pretty good. And then I'd want to beat the son up pretty bad. I would love to fight Tyson Fury. You know, I was offered to fight his dad. And it's been a while back.
"I'd love to fight him, either one of them. But yeah, Tyson Fury is the one I'd really want. His dad would be an easy fight. That'd be a couple rounder. I'd be like, go out there and just have fun and then get ready for the son. It'd be a warm-up fight. I mean, now that I believe in myself, I can do anything. And since I'm in such great shape, I know I can accomplish my goals."
With a professional career between 1987 and 1995 culminating in eight wins, four losses and one draw, John is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of boxing, especially given he has worked as a long-time coach for his son, Tyson.
Butterbean has just launched a brand-new flavour of beverage with Lucky Energy in his Butterbean's Knockout Punch. The brand describes the fresh taste as "a tropical mix of pineapple, orange, cherry, with a heavy kick of nostalgia fruit punch."
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