Boxing Legend “Iron” Mike Tyson returns to the ring after almost 20 years in retirement and at the grand age of 58.
The former heavyweight champion will face 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul tonight in a highly anticipated bout at AT&T Stadium in Texas.
The fight was originally slated for earlier in the year but it was postponed after Tyson experienced an ulcer flare-up mid-flight. Despite these health issues, the 31-year age gap between the fighters is clearly difficult to ignore. As is the fact Tyson has not boxed professionally in close to two decades.
While Tyson did lace up a pair of gloves again to meet Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout in 2020, he has not boxed an official match since 2005.
His last fight came against Irish heavyweight Kevin McBride on June 11 2005, which ended in a sixth-round retirement despite the fact the American was leading on two of the judges’ scorecards.
After taking the decision to quit on his stool ahead of the seventh round, Tyson said: “I do not have the guts to be in this sport anymore. I don’t want to disrespect the sport that I love. My heart is not into this anymore. I’m sorry for the fans who paid for this. I wish I could have done better.”
Meanwhile, Jake Paul is betting on himself to beat boxing legend Mike Tyson when the pair meet in the ring in Texas on tomorrow in what the social media star turned prize-fighter predicts will be a slugfest.
The 27-year-old Paul, who is more than three decades Tyson’s junior, said he hoped for a vintage performance from “Iron Mike,” who will be fighting in his first professional bout since 2005.
“I want him to be that old savage Mike,” Paul (10-1) said during a media conference.
“I want that killer. I want the hardest match possible… and I want there to be no excuses from anyone when I knock him out.”
The fight has been the subject of criticism from those who believe such fights degrade boxing’s standing. But a few can deny they are lucrative though: Paul earned about $9m from a loss last year to the boxer and reality TV star Tommy Fury. Tonight’s fight is likely to earn both men far more.
Paul rose to fame as a YouTube prankster but he has developed a lucrative career as a surprisingly competent, if limited, boxer. Before his loss to Fury, he had got off to a respectable start to his fighting career, compiling a 6-0 record, although some of his opponents were of debatable quality. Since then he has won his last three fights. Paul said he has further ambitions as he approaches his fight with Tyson.
Former Team Nigeria boxer, Tunde Faseke, believes Mike Tyson is past his best and should have stayed retired.
“Mike Tyson is 58 years old. I feel he is well past his prime. He is slow, poorly balanced and uncoordinated to me. I am a big fan of his in his prime but this fight isn’t it,” he said.
Source:The Nation
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