Mike Tyson sells out what’s left of legacy for unfortunate medical and familial reasons

Despite an uneventful and anticlimactic loss on November 15, Mike Tyson AKA “Iron Mike,” remains one of the most formidable boxers the world has ever seen, with a professional record of 50-6, with 44 of those being knockouts and two no-contests. Juxtaposing his career with a 27-year-old kid who grew popular from his Youtube career is simply absurd. Nevertheless, Jake Paul holds a record of 12-1 with seven knockouts despite debuting just six years ago. The blunt inverse of records is stark, especially when the fight live streamed around the world on Netflix to an audience north of 60 million households, on top of the sheer quantity of attendees (and boos) in the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

The globally streamed fight disappointed a significant population of viewers, especially due to Tyson’s lassitude and general stoicism throughout, contrasting his legendary personna. Of course, it’s no secret Tyson has aged substantially, enough to make a serious impact on his performance, but lifelong fans noticed a clear contrast in his fighting technique. Rather than the dynamism of ambush and sheer strength, Tyson appeared to be consistently static (not to be confused with Netflix’s technical difficulties) and lacking his natural ferocity. Notorious for being the world’s youngest heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, Tyson held a formidable record in his professional career, usually ending his fights with swift knockouts. These statistics led to a sense of confusion for fans viewing the fight, as Paul took the lead past round 1 with abrupt efficacy; contrasting their efforts, along with taking into consideration their age disparity, raised further suspicion surrounding Tyson’s unprecedented dissimulation throughout the match, especially on fault of mitigating his punches paired with appearing pusillanimous.

Aside from the boxing legend in the ring, countless celebrities attended the fight to cheer on their champion. Just over 70,000 fans attended the fight at the stadium, and Netflix highlighted some legends in the stands: Ralph Macchio and William Zabka (The Karate Kid), Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Gronkowski, Rosie Perez (White Men Can’t Jump), and Simu Liu (Shang Chi).  With an audience of that magnitude, Paul’s boxing attire had to be dazzling, as he stated his entire wardrobe was worth more than $1,000,000, a hurtful contrast to what Tyson contended with. Considering tickets averaged around $300, this would make the event “the biggest gate for any boxing or MMA event outside of Las Vegas, and the ninth-highest combat sports gate ever in U.S. history,” according to the L.A. Times.

Was selling the legendary career worth it in order to bankroll his expensive avocations and in order to spend more time with his children? That’s the question asked by audiences who critiqued the fight’s outcome and for those who grew up deifying Tyson. Paul, on the opposite side of the spectrum, was able to build an empire and a name for himself now as a result of the fight, so both parties won essentially. The former heavyweight champion has been claimed to be on the brink of bankruptcy in the past, but has gradually acquired his wealth back in the form of sponsorships, businesses, and movie cameos, and this fight will add a hefty penny. Tyson has emphasized multiple times now his dedication to being better for his children, and this seemed to be his method to allay worry. Whether recognized as an insult to the sport, or justified for his financial circumstances, the fight left many bewildered. Regardless of the winner, the event generated promotions simply by allocating the fighters an estimated $18,000,000, not including what Netflix paid for the fighters in this pathetic exhibition. 

Although Tyson will only decline further in his twilight, he holds onto the eager hope of getting back in the ring, as announced in a final send-off after the fight. Tyson, similar to past generational talents like Elvis Presley, most likely aimed for a stellar end to his career, or at least to find pecuniary cushioning (of $20,000,000 speculated by various sources) in order to retire comfortably. Tyson announced no intentions of quitting at this point, but is vacillating between being there for his children as long as possible, as the tedium of strenuous workouts would put a severe amount of stress for anyone his age. Paul, on the other hand, refused to call out anyone in particular to fight next, but names arising from fan speculation consist of Canelo Álvarez (34 year-old Mexican professional boxer) or Conor McGregor (36 year-old Irish MMA and boxer).

Albeit an insipid fight according to audiences, the return of the legendary “Iron Mike” in the ring was a sight for sore eyes, with an impressive effort considering his age. The mutual agreement later discovered by unofficial sleuths reported the fight to potentially act as a money-grab, considering Paul grossed nearly $40,000,000 and Tyson grossed $20,000,000 in profit from various promotions. The fight’s outcome and the sense of disrespect towards one of the boxing greats culminated in a regretful way, but proved to be a “prerequisite” for Tyson to finally step away from the sport entirely.

Grade: B-

The legendary Mike Tyson’s return to the ring, specifically after his last professional fight in 2005, with the upcoming pugilist Jake Paul will be remembered as one of the most questionable and insipid fights of the decade, leaving a majority of fans confused on their understanding of promotional fights like this one.

by Luis Fonseca

Published December 2nd, 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue III