Mike Tyson will step back into the boxing ring after nearly 20 years away. The former undisputed heavyweight champion, now 58, will face 28-year-old Jake Paul on November 15 in Texas.
The bout will last eight rounds, each two minutes long, with the fighters using 14-ounce gloves. These details aim to make the fight safer for the aging Tyson. Still, many in the boxing world worry about the 58-year-old's health.
Tyson retired in 2004 after losing to Kevin McBride. He said then that he'd lost the desire to fight. Now, almost two decades later, Paul has lured him back into the ring.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who once promoted one of Paul's early influencer bouts, doesn't hold back his thoughts on the matchup. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Hearn strongly criticized the decision to let Tyson fight.
"What on earth are we doing? I'm lucky enough to have a business where we don't need to do that. And I will never do that. Anyone that thinks that [Tyson] should be in the ring right now either doesn't have his best interests at heart or is an idiot."
Hearn pointed out that Tyson was past his prime even when he retired 20 years ago.
"Mike Tyson left the sport of boxing – which was, what, 20 years ago, I don't know, something like that – he was shot to pieces. You honestly think that a fighter that was shot to pieces 20 years ago should now be coming back?"
The promoter gave Tyson no chance of winning, stressing the age gap and Paul's current fitness level.
"I mean, I know he is only fighting Jake Paul, but it doesn't matter. Jake Paul's a powerful kid. He trains every day, he can punch … I get it, I get the business. I'm not criticising them, but for me, no, thank you, not in a million years."
Hearn also questioned Tyson's motivation for taking the fight:
"Why do you want to go in at five per cent of what you were and lose to a guy like Jake Paul? He shouldn't have to do that, but the world is the world we live in."
The fight was initially set for an earlier date but got pushed back due to Tyson's ulcer flare-up. As November 15 approaches, the boxing world watches with a mix of excitement and concern.
