Mike Tyson, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, is getting ready to step back into the ring. He's set to face Jake Paul in a boxing match that's just around the corner. What makes this fight stand out? The age gap between the two fighters is huge.
'Iron' Mike is pushing 60, while Paul is in his late twenties. It's been 19 years since Tyson's last professional fight. He hung up his gloves after losing two fights in a row to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. To put things in perspective, Tyson's prime was about 35 years ago.
The fight has raised eyebrows for several reasons. Some folks worry about the big age difference and Tyson's long break from pro boxing. There's also concern about how dangerous it could be. The match was even pushed back once because Tyson's ulcer flared up.
But Tyson isn't taking this lightly. He's been sharing short clips of his training sessions. Netflix even put out a three-part series showing footage from his camp. In these videos, Tyson throws punches that look a lot like the ones he used to throw back in the 1980s.
Frank Bruno, who has a history with Tyson, chimed in on Twitter. He wrote, "Still looks scary!!" Bruno knows what he's talking about. Tyson beat him in 1989, but Bruno came back to win the heavyweight title in 1995. Their rematch ended with Tyson winning and Bruno retiring.
"Still looks scary!!"
Other boxers have weighed in too. Lennox Lewis and Buster Douglas, who both beat Tyson in the past, are backing him. But not everyone's on board. Shakur Stevenson and Terence Crawford don't think the fight should happen.
That first Bruno-Tyson fight in 1989 was something else. Tyson won with a brutal three-punch combo in the fifth round. Richard Steele was the ref that night.
Tyson's not shy about his chances. He says he'll have enough left in the tank to "end" Jake Paul. We'll have to wait and see if 'Iron' Mike can back up his big talk when the bell rings.
