Mike Tyson lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul on Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight wasn’t spectacular, but no one in their right mind should have expected it to be.
Tyson is 58 years old. While his body looked in good shape, he moved like a 58-year-old, making what he accomplished and earned more impressive. Tyson spoke to Ariel Helwani in the ring after the fight but didn’t speak during the post-fight presser. Instead, the boxing icon took to social media on Saturday to address the world.
Tyson shared some details about the medical complications he overcame to fight on Friday and further explained why their fight was postponed from the original date in July.
“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won,” Tyson said in a social media post. “I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time. I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won. 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 Cowboys stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you.”
Here is the post:
This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time.
I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won.
To…
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) November 16, 2024
The fight on Friday was mildly competitive for the first two rounds, but Tyson’s movement had tailed off dramatically at the beginning of the third frame.
Seemingly sensing his older dance partner’s decreasing pace, Paul took his foot off the gas pedal. Many critics of Paul blasted him for setting this event up and participating in a fight with a boxing legend 31 years older than him.
However, there is another way to look at it. Paul provided an opportunity for Tyson to get one last massive payday ($20 million) in the form of a fight in a very protected environment with rules that served as more assurance the legend wouldn’t get seriously hurt.
It was a boxing match, so the event wasn’t completely devoid of risk, but Paul could have pressed the issue in the ring and knocked Tyson out. He chose not to go that route. Paul admitted this during the post-event presser.
He was asked if he took his foot off the gas during the fight. “Yeah, definitely,” Paul said. “Definitely a bit. I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.”
Tyson discussed potentially fighting again during the immediate post-fight interview with Helwani, but the social media post contradicts that concept. He said, “one last time.”
I’m hoping that’s the case and that he has earned enough money never to have to fight in a ring again.
