Mitt Romney is a glutton for punishment.
After losing the 2012 presidential election as the Republican presidential nominee, Romney may be gearing up for a beating of another kind.
The 68-year-old former Massachusetts governor will step into the boxing ring on Friday to fight former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.
Yes, you read that right.
It’s all for a good cause — the two are squaring off to benefit Charity Vision, a Utah-based nonprofit to help people in developing countries with vision problems. Romney’s son Josh is the volunteer part-time president of the organization, and Romney was moved on a trip to India seeing the work the organization does.
The rather odd event is expected to raise $1 million, which will go toward medical equipment, surgeries, screenings and medical training.
The two weighed in on Thursday evening, with Romney staring down his sparring partner. Here’s the promo video for the fight. Romney, as you can see, is taking it very seriously:
The former GOP presidential nominee told The New York Times it may not be that different from the kind of verbal fights he faced during last cycle’s debates.
“I do remember Newt Gingrich and I, during a debate, we were talking about Rick Perry,” he told the paper. “And Newt Gingrich said to me, ‘You know, Rick is a good guy, but he doesn’t know how to dance.’ Newt meant dance around tough questions and then make them work to your advantage. And he complimented me on my ability to dance. So I will be doing a bit of dancing and dodging Friday night.”
Romney told the Times he won’t be stripping down for the event but will be wearing an outfit from Under Armour, which is sponsoring the fight. His son did, however, prepare a red silk robe for him.
There’s one part of Holyfield that Romney plans to avoid.
“I’m staying far away from his ears. I don’t for a moment want for him to confuse me with anyone from his past,” the Republican said, referring to the boxer’s infamous 1997 fight with Mike Tyson, who bit off part of Holyfield’s ear.
Romney, for his part, sounds confident but realistic about his chances.
“I expect to be beaten but unbowed,” he told the Times.
It may not be Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, but the Friday night fight is sure to go down in its own type of unique history and provide for plenty of laughs — and priceless photos along the way.
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