At 58 years old, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is looking to get back into the ring to fight 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who is a little less than half his age.
While the legendary fighter insists he’ll be ready, some fans are concerned, especially after Tyson recently revealed that things are “a little shaky” as he prepares for the Nov. 15 bout.
During an event for Cage Wars, a mixed martial arts promotion where Tyson was commentating, he gave some insight into his condition.
“It’s hard to walk right now,” Tyson admitted, according to USA Today. “But two months from now I’m going to be perfect.”
His confidence remains high, yet the reality of his age is evident. Despite this, the former heavyweight champion is training intensely, working out three to four times daily.
“The fight is won in the gym,” he said.
When asked if he was heading to bed early to rest for training, Tyson shrugged it off, saying, “No, I’m going to enjoy my time here tonight with all my childhood friends, and the hell with Jake Paul.”
The Brooklyn-born boxer has also been using recovery techniques like electric stimulation and stem cells.
“Listen, I’ll do anything that will help me,” Iron Mike said. But the question remains: Will it be enough?
Fans have taken to social media to express their concerns.
One fan on X posted, “I wonder what it could be,” after hearing about Tyson’s struggles.
The story was covered by GB News and sparked mixed reactions about his health and the fight on Facebook.
One worried fan commented, “These circus acts will only cease once one of these old timers gets seriously hurt.”
Others warned Tyson to stop fighting altogether, with one saying, “Crazy stop fighting.”
However, not everyone is convinced Tyson’s health is truly at risk. Some fans believe Tyson’s comments are just a strategic ploy to psych out Paul.
“Struggling to walk, whenever you see him sparring he’s bouncing around the ring. This has gotta be mind games,” one person wrote.
Another chimed in, “All mind games from old pro Mike. Mike will hurt him but will gas out after 3 rounds.”
This isn’t the first time Tyson has faced mobility issues. Video from July 2022, originally posted by The Sun, has re-emerged over the last few months of him walking with the aid of a walking stick.
mike tyson 2 years ago using a cane to walk… jake paul is shameless pic.twitter.com/bQu1ee0BX6
— juju 💰 (@ayeejuju) March 7, 2024
Fans saw the clip around the time the fight was postponed to the fall, and blasted Paul for fighting Tyson. One person wrote, “Mike tyson 2 years ago using a cane to walk… jake paul is shameless.”
In July of that year, Tyson made a grim admission on his “Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson” podcast, where he told his therapist Sean McFarland and DJ Whoo Kid that he believes he’s going to die “really soon.”
“We’re all gonna die one day, of course,” Tyson told McFarland and fellow guest DJ Whoo Kid. “Then, when I look in the mirror, I see those little spots on my face, I say, ‘Wow. That’s my expiration date is coming close, really soon.’”
The video, paired with his comments, led fans to question his future in the ring.
In August 2022, Tyson was seen using a wheelchair. In an interview with Gretchen Van Susteren on Newsmax, he revealed his sciatica diagnosis, a condition he’s dealt with for years, occasionally flares up.
“When it flares up I can’t even talk,” he said.
Originally scheduled for July 20, the Tyson vs. Paul fight was sanctioned as a professional boxing match by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, according to ESPN, and it will mark Tyson’s first official fight since retiring in 2005.
Because Tyson was not ready to fight, it was announced in May that the event would be postponed to November, giving him more time to prepare for the matchup.
Despite his health concerns, fans are eager to see if Tyson can still deliver some of his legendary power in the ring. With a record of 50 wins, 44 by knockout, Tyson’s career spanned two decades from 1985 to 2005. His final championship fight in 2002 set a then-record for pay-per-view buys, only surpassed by some Floyd Mayweather bouts, according to Forbes.
Whether or not Tyson can reclaim his glory remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure —fans will be watching closely to see if the champ can pull off the unthinkable or if his health will prevent him from giving a great showing.
