Mike Tyson looks to be retired from the sport of professional boxing, even if he hasn’t directly announced that he won’t return to the ring.
At 58, ‘Iron’ Mike has very little reason to return to the combat sports arena in a professional capacity. He’s achieved almost everything on offer in the world of boxing, lifting numerous world titles at heavyweight, enjoying an abundance of high-profile super fights, and making history in the first-ever Netflix-streamed event back in November.
He initially hung up his gloves up following a 2005 loss to Kevin McBride, a bout in which he refused to continue with during the sixth round. Speaking after the loss, Tyson explained: “I don’t think I have it anymore because I’ve got the ability to stay in shape, but I don’t got the fighting guts I don’t think any more.”
He added: “I’m just sorry that I let everybody down, I just don’t have this in my heart any more,” before adding that he was fighting to “take care of bills”. When asked if fans would see him fighting again, he added: “Yeah, most likely I’m not going to fight again. I’m not going to disrespect this sport by losing to this calibre of fighter.”
However, many boxing fans thought that Tyson had lost his heart the year before his fight with McBride, after suffering a shock fourth-round knockout at the hands of Danny Williams – with his coach at the time, Freddie Roach, also explaining that he thought Tyson’s career may have been over.
In a post-fight press conference, Roach explained: “It could be over. It definitely could be over. Part of me wants to say it is over. It’s an addicting sport. It’s sad when you have to retire when it’s over. I went through it myself and Mike is going to have to make that decision himself.”
Meanwhile, close friend Tom Patti explained about Tyson’s mood after the shock loss: “Somber, disappointed. He worked hard. Mike was very interested in returning to boxing full time. And he worked three months before we came to camp two months ago. His mind was set on a full return to a career. It’s certainly not the end of the world. It’s not cancer. Mike’s a warrior. He has plenty of opportunity to fight again if he wants.”
Tyson took a 10-month hiatus following his loss to Williams, returning to face McBride before actually confirming his retirement. While he returned to the ring for an eight-round exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr in 2020 (which was called a draw after going the distance), the pugilist shocked fight fans worldwide when he announced that he was preparing to square off with YouTuber Jake Paul last year.
The bout was initially scheduled for July 20 but had to be postponed when Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles. Speaking about the incident, Tyson explained: “I went to the bathroom and I threw up blood. The next thing I know I’m on the floor. I was defecating tar.”
With Tyson recovering from the incident, the fight was rescheduled for November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The two men duked it out in a blockbuster showdown streamed live on Netflix. Looking incredibly tired from the outset and throughout, Tyson was picked apart over the course of eight rounds before being handed a unanimous decision loss.
And while he hasn’t directly said that he’s done with competing at the highest level following the fight, he has made a number of statements which nod to retirement in the wake of his recent loss. In conversation with Fox Sports Radio, Tyson confessed that he quickly questioned why he even stepped into the ring with the ‘Problem Child’ in the first place.
He explained: “The day after the fight, I woke up and told my wife ‘why did I do that?’ I just don’t know what the hell went on.” He also confessed that he didn’t remember much from the fight itself, adding: “I don’t remember the fight that much, I kind of blanked out. I haven’t watched the fight. You know what I remember… coming back from the first round and Jake was doing some sort of bow… that’s the last thing I remember.”
Meanwhile, on his future, the fighter told 7News at a Miami pop-up event around the same time: “As I said before, the sky is the limit. Anything I want, I’m just happy to be able to do it. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to be able to do everything that I want to do in this and beyond.”
However, Tyson’s son, Amir Tyson, is convinced that he’s finished with the fight game for good now after revealing a chat between his step-mom, Lakiha Spicer, and his father. Speaking to Seconds Out, Amir explained: “I think he’s done. My stepmom, she’s saying he’s done and they’re a team. That’s husband-and-wife stuff.”
While Tyson has been doing well in terms of physical health since recovering from his ulcer flare-up, he has also recently noted that his mental health has taken a hit after his fight with Paul. Despite raking in a reported $20million from the event, Tyson told Fox Sports Radio that he was left feeling “kind of depressed” by the whole experience.
He said: “That fight was such a big ascent-we were so up and high, we were so excited. The fight’s over, boom. Wow, I’m kind of depressed a little bit. We got to get back [into] our living situation [daily life], back to living. [We were] training for it 9 months.”
Following a lacklustre showing in which Tyson looked fatigued from the off, fight fans were shocked when Impractical Jokers comic Joe Gatto took to social media to announce that he would be taking on Tyson in 2025. The funny man claimed that he would step into the ring with Tyson as a part of his ‘fat to fit’ docuseries, writing: “Exciting news. In 2025 I will enter the ring with the legendary @MikeTyson – training starts 1/1/25 and you can watch it all on @hulu.
“My new show #FightingWeight will document my transformation from fat to fit as I push myself to the limit. I appreciate the support of all who made this happen & to @Bellagio for hosting the event this summer. New year. New me.” Mirror US understands that the post was simply a marketing ploy to sell his new tour show ‘Let’s Get Into It’ – much to the delight of fans who rushed to social media to share that they don’t want to see Tyson back inside the ring any time soon, if ever.
Elsewhere, long-time heavyweight rival Evander Holyfield took to Instagram just three days after Tyson’s fight to share a mock-up trilogy poster depicting a third showdown between the two. Tyson and Holyfield famously faced off with one another in November 1996, ‘The Real Deal’ claiming Tyson’s WBA title through an eleventh-round TKO.
Their second encounter a year later was a far more fiery state of affairs; Tyson was disqualified in the third round after biting off a chunk of his opponent’s ear. And while a third fight in both men’s primes would have gone down well, fans wasted no time in rushing to the comments section to share their distaste for such an event nowadays. One person wrote: “Nobody wants, especially the fans. Much love,” while another added: “Team HELL NO & all love.” Tyson himself even downplayed the idea of a third meeting, writing: “I love you brother, but the trilogy is our friendship.”
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