The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Daniel Cormier TV – DC Reacts to Mike Tyson & Floyd Mayweather Announcing "Ridiculous" Boxing Fight

Date: September 7, 2025
Host: Daniel Cormier (DC)
Topic: DC’s passionate reaction to the official announcement of an upcoming exhibition boxing match between Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather.

Episode Overview

Daniel Cormier reacts with disbelief and critical analysis to the announcement that retired legends Mike Tyson (former heavyweight champion) and Floyd Mayweather (undefeated multi-division champion) will fight in a boxing exhibition. Cormier addresses the event's absurdity, the motivations behind it, and the nature of these high-profile, high-money “spectacle” fights. He questions what fans genuinely want from such events, and whether the fight can or should deliver actual violence or drama.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Boxing’s Slide Into "Ridiculousness"

• Cormier’s disbelief: DC begins by referencing the increasing absurdity of recent boxing matchmaking—Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis, Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, even recalling McGregor vs. Mayweather.
  • "I thought we were probably at the limit of what could be done in boxing. That's ridiculous." (04:15)
• Even greater mismatch: DC argues Tyson vs. Mayweather is the most extreme, given their weight and size difference. He notes Floyd’s career started at 130 lbs while Tyson's was fought at heavyweight (~200+ lbs).

2. Motivation: Is It About the Money?

• Lack of financial need: Both Tyson and Mayweather are already wealthy, so DC questions why they are returning.
  • "It's not a money play... These guys don't need money." (07:10)
• Mayweather's flex: DC comments on Mayweather's response to critics, flaunting wealth and continued earning power:
  • "Mayweather said, 'Hey to the haters, I'd be mad too. How the F for 30 years you can keep getting money like this, continue to hate.'" (08:47)
• Tyson's motivation: Cormier paraphrases or quotes Tyson, highlighting that both see it as something "big and legendary," not just financial.

3. Concerns Over Legitimacy and Health Risks

• Disparity and danger: The weight difference between the two fighters is not just theatrical, it's potentially dangerous. DC notes Mayweather was "severely undersized" even at 154 lbs.
  • "Mike Tyson said, 'I still can't believe Floyd wants to really do this. It's going to be detrimental to his health. But he wants to do it, so it's signed and it's happening.'" (10:58)
• Risk vs. exhibition: DC wonders how much intensity or real danger can be expected in such an exhibition, or if both men will be holding back significantly.
  • "Can Floyd and Mike wrestle at 100 or fight at 100% when there's that big a difference in the size? Can Mike Tyson hit Floyd Mayweather?" (12:40)
  • He observes that Mayweather never took much damage in his pro career, making the idea of him risking that at this stage even more surprising.

4. The Exhibition Dilemma: What Do Fans Want?

• Authenticity vs. entertainment: DC repeatedly questions what value these fights have for fans if the violence is missing.
  • "When the fight happened, it just felt too much like he wasn't trying to hurt him. And when I watch fights, I want to see people trying to hurt each other." (13:55)
• Violence as a draw: He reflects on the primal attraction to violence in combat sports.
  • "From the beginning of time, people love to fight. Go back to the days of the Romans… Violence. That's what people want to see." (14:40)

5. The Legacy Question

• Impact on icons’ legacies: Tyson claims exhibitions can be legendary and “give the fans what they want,” but DC is skeptical fans truly want safe, low-stakes bouts between aging legends.
  • "Mike is saying he can give us what we want, but what is it that they can give us without promising violence?" (15:15)
• No-win scenario: If Tyson were to seriously hurt Mayweather, it’d be an infamous viral moment; if nothing happens, fans will feel cheated.
  • "Could you imagine if he just knocks out Floyd... the most viral shit you've ever seen in your entire life. But I can't imagine Floyd would sign up for that." (15:32)

6. The Future of Combat Sports Spectacles

• Streaming as savior: DC muses that moving the bout to a streaming platform like Netflix could guarantee a financial win for the fighters, while making pay-per-view sales less important.
  • "If it's on Netflix, then that's safety for them, right? Because they get all the money without need to sell and then people will watch." (16:05)
• Appeal for fan feedback: DC closes by genuinely asking fans what they want out of modern combat sports: real violence, skill, celebrity, or just entertainment?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We need to slow down with certain things, man... When we did Jake Paul fighting Gervonta Davis, I thought we were probably at the limit of what could be done in boxing. That's ridiculous."
  (DC, 04:12)

• "Floyd Mayweather was a guy that fought in the 130s to start his career... He's not going to fight Mike Tyson, who is the heavyweight champion in the world."
  (DC, 05:15)

• "These guys don't need money. So I don't understand the need to do this."
  (DC, 07:30)

• "Mayweather said, 'Hey to the haters, I'd be mad too. How the F for 30 years you can keep getting money like this, continue to hate.'"
  (DC, quoting Mayweather, 08:47)

• "It's going to be detrimental to his health. But he wants to do it, so it's signed and it's happening."
  (DC, paraphrasing Tyson, 10:58)

• "How do guys, especially the greats, explain to the general public you're going to watch a fight... but it's not going to be an actual fight, it's going to be an exhibition?"
  (DC, 11:40)

• "Can Floyd and Mike fight at 100% when there's that big a difference in size? ... Would [Mayweather] be willing to risk all that?"
  (DC, 12:42)

• "When the fight happened, it just felt too much like he wasn't trying to hurt him. And when I watch fights, I want to see people trying to hurt each other."
  (DC, on Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr., 13:55)

• "Violence. That's what people want to see."
  (DC, 14:42)

• "Mike is saying he can give us what we want, but what is it that they can give us without promising violence? ... Could you imagine if he just knocks out Floyd... the most viral shit you've ever seen in your entire life. But I can't imagine Floyd would sign up for that."
  (DC, 15:15-15:45)

• "What can we watch? This might end up on Netflix though. So yeah, I might be wrong. If it's on Netflix, then that's safety for them..."
  (DC, 16:00)

Important Timestamps

• 04:12: DC begins laying out his view on the absurdity of recent celebrity/YouTube boxing matches.
• 05:15 – 07:30: Deep dive into weight and career differences between Tyson and Mayweather.
• 08:47: Mayweather’s response to critics and flaunting his wealth.
• 10:58 – 12:42: The health risk and exhibition format – can this ever be a “real” fight?
• 13:55 – 14:42: The element of real violence and why fans are attracted to it.
• 15:15 – 15:45: Legacy, spectacle, and the risk that this fight becomes infamous or underwhelming.
• 16:00: Possibility of the fight being on Netflix and what that means for the sport’s future.

Interpretive Summary – Tone and Final Thoughts

Daniel Cormier’s reaction is candid, conflicted, and heartfelt. He clearly respects both Tyson and Mayweather but finds the idea of their exhibition fight surreal, bordering on farce. DC speaks for many boxing and fight fans, expressing skepticism about the authenticity of such spectacles and whether they can (or should) satisfy fans’ expectations for danger, legacy, and true competition.

He closes by inviting fans into the discussion, emphasizing his confusion and desire for honesty in assessing what combat sports have become:

• "In the comments, could you tell me what we want as fans when it comes to combat sport? Let me know because I'm confused if those guys can deliver on that." (16:20)

The episode is a sharp, opinionated, and somewhat nostalgic meditation on where boxing is heading, and whether these “mega-fights” are part of its evolution or its decline.