Mike Tyson, the 58-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion, will step back into the ring on November 15. His opponent? Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer. The fight's been set up as an eight-round contest, raising eyebrows across the boxing world.
The match was initially postponed due to medical concerns. Now, it's got plenty of people in the sport worried. They're concerned about Tyson getting in the ring at his age, even with softer rules for this pro contest.
Tyson's last professional fight was way back in 2005. He retired on his stool after six rounds against Kevin McBride. That night marked the end of Tyson's pro career. Since then, he's only had one exhibition bout in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr., where he performed well.
Jeff Fenech, Tyson's last trainer and a former three-weight world champion, thinks his old fighter's still got it. Fenech, who's recovering from heart surgery, helped Tyson get ready for that 2020 exhibition. He told Wide World of Sports:
"I have no doubt if Mike takes it easy and doesn't try to punch at the same time, if he makes Jake Paul miss, Mike will knock him out in a couple of rounds. One-hundred per cent."
Fenech believes Tyson can end the fight quickly if he's smart about it:
"If Mike lands one clean punch. If he makes him miss, he will make him pay. If he doesn't try and strike at the same time, and is patient, the fight could be over in one minute."
Despite his own health issues, Fenech's more worried about Tyson:
"We were talking about my health and that. I'm not worried about my health, don't get me wrong I am, but I'm more worried about him, and hope he does the right thing to beat Jake Paul."
The boxing world will watch closely as this unusual matchup unfolds. Will Tyson's experience trump Paul's youth? Or will the age gap prove too much for the former champ? We'll find out on November 15.
