After making his shock return to boxing in November, Mike Tyson will ‘fight’ again in 2025, according to comedian Joe Gatto.

The comedian, known famously for his role in the hit TV show ‘Impractical Jokers’, has claimed to be fighting the former heavyweight champion while undergoing a body transformation from ‘fat to fit’ in a new docuseries. “Exciting news. In 2025 I will enter the ring with the legendary @MikeTyson – training starts 1/1/25 and you can watch it all on @hulu,” Gatto wrote on social media.

“My new show #FightingWeight will document my transformation from fat to fit as I push myself to the limit. I appreciate the support of all who made this happen & to @Bellagio for hosting the event this summer. New year. New me.”

However, unsurprisingly for a comedian, it’s a funny marketing plot to help sell his new tour show. Gatto is instead launching his 43-show ‘Let’s Get Into It’ tour on Friday night in Reading, Pennsylvania, before performing across the country.

Gatto’s tour will conclude in June 2025, but not before he performs his shows in cities such as Boston, San Diego, Toronto, Detroit, Las Vegas, and Knoxville. While his claim to be fighting Tyson was seemingly a clear joke, it appeared to fool some fans online.

“Definitely didn’t have Joe Gatto fighting Mike Tyson on my 2025 bingo card, but here we are and I’m happy to be here,” one replied. “Zero shot they are fighting, Mike must be helping him train to lose weight through boxing cardio,” another claimed.

“Wait is this for real? lol,” one fan asked. The majority of Gatto’s fans instantly realized it was a wind-up, and the former ‘Impractical Jokers’ star is excited to get back on stage, not step inside the ring.

“I set the tone,” Gatto told 6abc Action News when announcing his return to live comedy. “We have a lot of fun. The shows are very joyous, and I like making my shows more like events. That’s why I really do the live comedy. I just love making an event where people can come, forget about all the BS in life for a little bit and just get together and laugh.”

Tyson also may not return to the ring, after signing off his defeat to Jake Paul on Nov. 15 by hinting that it would be the last time. Tyson battled health problems before finally being cleared to fight someone half his age, and posted on social media after losing: “This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night.

“To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you.”