Los Angeles, California:

Nearly two decades after hanging his gloves, 58-year-old Mike Tyson is set to climb back into the ring on Friday for a Netflix-backed bout. Tyson, who terrorised the heavyweight division during an imperious reign in the late 1980s, will face 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in an officially sanctioned fight at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Texas, US. 

Tyson, who became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at the age of 20 years and four months in 1986, retired in 2005 after losing to Kevin McBride. At the time, he said he didn’t have anything left to give the sport. The boxing legend last fought against Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match, with no fans during the pandemic in 2020.

Now, by taking on a man not even half his age, the former world heavyweight champion will become one of the oldest boxers to compete in a sanctioned professional fight. The bout, which according to experts is not an exhibition match, is been described by experts as an “indictment on boxing”  and a “competitive fight”.

Tyson Back In The Ring

So, why is Mike Tyson lacing up the gloves once more after 19 years? Simple answer – the money. As per reports, Mike Tyson is being paid USD 20 million just for this one match. Jake Paul is reportedly getting double of that – USD 40 million.

A showdown is also seen as Netflix’s latest one-two punch, as the media giant hopes to cash in on sports’ sprint to streaming. The streaming powerhouse will broadcast the event live to a global subscriber list of 280 million. Moreover, a crowd of about 70,000 is expected at the stadium to witness Tyson once again in the ring, according to a BBC report. 

For the streaming giant, Tyson vs. Paul is their biggest live sports event to date and an opportunity to ensure that it can handle audience demand with the NFL and WWE on the horizon.

Concerns Over Health

The Netflix-backed bout has also drawn widespread condemnation across the boxing world. Though the rules of the game have been altered, experts have weighed in on how Mike Tyson’s age might play a factor in the highly anticipated fight. The bout was initially due to take place in July but was postponed in May after Tyson required medical treatment on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles after vomiting blood due to a bleeding ulcer.

Raising the issue, Stephen Hughes, a senior lecturer of medicine at Anglia Riskin University in England, cited Tyson’s age and past alcohol abuse as risk factors. In an article published by “The Conversation”, Hughes that a head trauma during a fight could put the boxer at greater risk of suffering a subdural hematoma, which is potentially fatal.

Prominent British fight promoter Eddie Hearn also flagged risk to Tyson’s health during the fight and said, “Twenty years ago, Mike Tyson retired from boxing, and was shot to pieces, right? I mean, completely shot.”

“If anyone thinks that Mike Tyson should be in a ring at this age, you either have absolutely no emotional feelings toward the man, or you’re an idiot. It shouldn’t be happening,” he added.

Hearn’s rival promoter Frank Warren echoed those sentiments and said, “Mike Tyson is 58 years of age and he shouldn’t be fighting.”

“Anyone with an ounce of brains knows that it is ridiculous. You can be on a motorway stuck in a traffic jam and you get to the end of it and all it is is people who have stopped to look at a crash — and that’s what this is,” he added.

Mike Tyson’s Reply

Mike Tyson, who US reports say is being paid around $20 million for Friday’s contest, has brushed off the concerns for his well-being, insisting that critics from the boxing world are motivated by jealousy.

“I’m beautiful, that’s all I can say,” he said earlier this year. “The people who said that wish they were up here. No-one else can do this.”

At an open workout in Texas this week, Tyson declared that a gruelling training camp had left him with the conviction “that I’m tougher than I believed I was.”

“When I agreed to this fight and started training, I thought ‘What was I thinking of?’ But I’ve finished the process. The fight is the party. All the hard work is done.”
 

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul date and time: The highly anticipated heavyweight showdown between legendary boxer Mike Tyson and YouTuber Jake Paul will take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Friday (Nov 15). The professional bout, sanctioned by the Texas Licensing and Regulations Department, was initially scheduled for July 20 but was postponed after Tyson had a medical scare on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles on May 26. After receiving medical attention, Tyson was advised to rest and not go ahead with the bout, at least for a few months.

Tyson vs Paul stats

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs), will be returning to a professional boxing arena after 19 years when Kevin McBride beat him in 2005. Tyson did fight Roy Jones Jr. in 2020 but it was an exhibition match. Tyson became the youngest heavyweight to win a world title at the age of 20 when he defeated Trevor Berbick in 1986 via a second-round TKO.

As for Paul (10-1, 7 KOs), the YouTuber-turned-boxer started professionally fighting in 2020, having mostly fought against former MMA fighters, Paul secured six straight victories to start his boxing career before being beaten by Tommy Fury in February last year.

Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight card

Main card:

• Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul, 8 rounds, heavyweight title
• Title fight: Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano, 10 rounds for Taylor’s undisputed women’s junior welterweight championship
• Neeraj Goyat vs. Whindersson Nunes, 6 rounds, middleweight
• Title fight: Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos – WBC welterweight title

Where to watch Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight?

The Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight will not be broadcast on any TV channel. It will be exclusively live-streamed on Netflix which has promoted the fight since it was first announced.

When to watch Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight?

The fight starts at 8 PM ET on November 15 (6:30 am IST on November 16). While the undercards will start at 6:30 am IST, the bout between Tyson and Paul will take place around 9:30 am IST.

What are the rules of the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight?

Owing to the huge age gap between the two participants, a series of rules have been implemented for the standalone fight. Both Tyson and Paul will be mandated to use 14-ounce gloves instead of the regular 10-ounce gloves used by heavyweight pugilists.

The heavier gloves will lessen the power of the punches and also slow down the fighting. Additionally, there will be a total of eight rounds instead of 12 and each round will be only two minutes long not three.

Watch: Boxing Great Mike Tyson Slaps YouTuber Jake Paul During Final Staredown, Video Viral

Tyson slaps Paul

During the weigh-in on Thursday (Nov 14), Tyson slapped his opponent, Paul, as the two squared off against each other. Tyson, who weighed in at 228.4 pounds after stepping onto the scales wearing only a pair of Versace briefs, hit Paul flush on the cheek with his right hand.

“Talking’s over,” Tyson said before making his exit from the stage with members of his entourage.

“I didn’t even feel it — he’s angry. He’s an angry little elf…cute slap buddy,” said Paul, who weighed in at 227.2 pounds.

If at 58, I were to agree to a boxing match with a person half my age, much alarm would be caused. My daughters would burst into tears, my partner would have strong words, and my students would have final confirmation that I had lost the plot. I, however, am not “Iron Mike” Tyson.

On July 20, the former heavyweight boxing world champion is due to step into the ring at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to fight YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Tyson will be 58, Paul will be 27.

Let’s take a look at what will be going on biologically for Iron Mike.

Receiving repeated blows to the body can tire a boxer out, and a well-aimed shovel hook to the liver can cause a “technical knockout”, but the head is the main target. Boxers are always looking for the knockout blow – and that only happens if you hit the head.

However, the head takes many forceful blows before a knockout is achieved – if it is achieved at all. Many boxers “go the distance” – in other words, manage to fight till the end, which can be anywhere from four to 12 rounds, each lasting three minutes. So what are the potential effects of all this head trauma?

The immediate effects may be minimal; the boxer may simply recover. But on some occasions, the effects may be devastating: a subdural haematoma can occur. In this condition, shearing forces cause tearing of bridging veins between the brain and blood vessels within the brain coverings, or meninges.

Bleeding from these torn veins causes a collection of blood that presses on the brain. This causes confusion, loss of consciousness, neurological disability and, in some cases, death.

In older people, the brain tends to lose volume. This lengthens the bridging veins and makes them more vulnerable to rupture. Alcoholism is known to accelerate brain shrinkage, and it appears that Tyson has this as a past risk factor.

I recall a patient, a boxer who had previously sustained a subdural haematoma and had physical disability and terrible depression. These were devastating permanent effects.

Shearing forces on the brain cause injury to neurons (brain cells). Nerve fibres can be torn and this can lead to effects that are either subtle or quite significant. This so-called “diffuse axonal injury” is cumulative over time and may lead to early loss of cognitive function. This is known as dementia pugilistica, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Repeated injuries lead to the accumulation of abnormal tau proteins in the brain. As a result, brain cells are lost and the brain shrinks. The patient experiences changes in behaviour, mood and the ability to think.

In some instances, a condition resembling Parkinson’s disease may result from loss of neurons in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra. Muhammad Ali may have been afflicted with this, but it was never confirmed.

Heart problems

Middle age sees an increase in the likelihood of cardiac events such as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), angina (reduced blood flow to heart muscles), and myocardial infarction (heart attack). Keeping fit protects against cardiovascular disease, and Tyson’s exercise regime will benefit him greatly. However, the temptation to overdo it in the gym is always there.

Extreme exercise can lead to cardiac fibrosis (scarring of the heart muscles), which over time may lead to heart failure or, sometimes, sudden death.

Coronary atherosclerosis (narrowed heart arteries) is common in middle age, even in seemingly healthy people. However, it can lead to sudden death during exercise. Although regular exercise reduces this risk, a cocaine habit elevates it considerably – and Tyson has been known to have used the drug in the past.

A blow to the chest can also prove troublesome. Commotio cordis is a condition in which the heart muscle is damaged by such a blow. This can lead to an irregular heartbeat, reduced ability of the heart muscles to contract, and death. Quite uncommon, but coronary artery disease might make things worse.

Age doesn’t have to be a barrier

So far, I have concentrated on Iron Mike, but what of his opponent, Jake Paul? He is a much younger man and may well be free of cardiac disease and brain atrophy, which may protect him, to an extent. However, he has less boxing experience and is a late entrant to boxing.

There are plenty of examples of boxers in their 50s and 60s still fighting well and defeating younger competitors. If Tyson retains his speed, power and ability to outwit Paul, then Tyson may prevail.

Finally, let us remember that exercise at all ages is good for us, and there is good evidence that boxing in moderation has many health benefits.

(Author:Stephen Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Medicine, Anglia Ruskin University)

(Disclosure Statement:Stephen Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment)

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)