Mike Tyson is set to return to professional boxing this November against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul.
It’s as controversial a fight as they come given Tyson, who still holds the record as the youngest ever world heavyweight champion, is now 57-years-old and has been out of the ring for just shy of two decades.
Despite having a small fraction of the experience, Paul is thirty years younger and has been active in the ring against retired MMA fighters and a few boxers, one of which was Tommy Fury who served him his sole loss in eleven fights.
The fight – which will be streamed live on Netflix in a first for the sport – is set to take place over eight two-minute rounds and both men will sport 14-ounce gloves. Still, many in boxing have pointed out the dangers to ‘Iron’ Mike’s health, which has already played a part in postponing the initial date.
Coach Robert Garcia, who had a brief stint with two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and currently corners pound-for-pound star Jesse Rodriguez among others, told ES News that it was ridiculous that anyone thinks Tyson has a chance at producing one of his highlight reel knockouts.
“There’s no way… It’s like people saying Mike Tyson’s gonna go out and knock [Jake Paul] out – Mike Tyson lost 20 years ago to bums. He lost in real fights to bums, maybe more than 20 years ago, cause he’s 60.”
Garcia has previously said that no governing body should be allowing the fight to go ahead as anything but an exhibition.
In 2005, after being knocked out by Danny Williams in the previous year, Tyson retired in his corner midway through a fight with Ireland’s Kevin McBride, who had a record of 32-4-1 at the time. He had resorted to some dirty tactics up until then and it was clear he didn’t want to be there. Post-fight, he announced that the fight had left him. It would be his last professional bout.
