Why does Mike Tyson, a 58-year-old cannabis magnate, think he can beat an active boxer like Jake Paul, who is 21 years his junior?
“Can I be honest?” Tyson asked rhetorically during a recent interview with Don“I don’t think he can hurt me.”
An ulcer flare-up has delayed his Saturday showdown with Paul (when the former YouTuber will face boxer-turned-barefoot fighter Mike Perry) until Nov. 15.
Still, Iron Mike’s confidence has not wavered. When asked to compare the November comeback fight to his own 1988 victory over a 38-year-old Larry Holmes, Tyson refused to even consider it. Just 21 at the time, Tyson was already the unified heavyweight champion and came into that fight with a perfect 32-0 record.
“Larry Holmes was a legendary boxer fighting a champion who was active every day of his life,” Tyson said. “I’m fighting a YouTuber… It doesn’t matter how seriously he takes it. He is who he is.”
Tyson may be 58 years old, but when he faces Paul on November 15, he’ll be fighting a YouTuber.
Tyson recently suffered an ulcer flare-up aboard a long-haul flight from Miami to Los Angeles.
Obviously, Tyson, 58, is not the same man who made mincemeat of the legendary Holmes with a fourth-round knockout at the Atlantic City Convention Hall in 1988.
During his interview with Esquire, he admitted, “I’m an older guy,” and his wife, Kiki, reminded the Brooklyn native to stay hydrated while training.
“Honey,” Kiki yelled, “drink your electrolytes more than usual!”
But even though he’s approaching 60 and spends most of his time promoting his cannabis company and podcasting, Tyson is no stranger to the gym these days. In 2020, he fought the equally elderly Roy Jones Jr. to a draw, and has since impressed social media audiences with flattering edits of workout videos.
Paul has undoubtedly been more active. He has a 9-1 record since turning pro in 2020 and has outpointed several well-known former UFC champions in crossover boxing bouts.
It’s also inarguable that he’s chosen his opponents very carefully. Paul’s first fight against an experienced boxer resulted in his only loss of 2023, when he lost a split decision to Tommy Fury, and he has yet to face a true talent in the ring. Even Saturday’s fight in Tampa pits Paul against a boxer who has become a bare-knuckle boxer, having not put on gloves since 2015.
Tyson sees no similarities between the fight with Paul and his 1988 knockout win over Larry Holmes
And as busy as Paul has been in the ring, where he made millions promoting himself, it’s been less than a decade since he left his career as a YouTuber, music artist and Disney Channel star. He didn’t grow up in the ring, as Tyson did in trainer Cus D’Amato’s home in Catskill, New York.
Tyson also has some advantages. This is an eight-round fight instead of 12, and each round will last only two minutes instead of three, allowing the 58-year-old to conserve and harness his energy for the right moment.
For some, this raises the question of why Tyson bothers fighting Paul.
“My wife tells me over and over again, ‘You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to do this.’ And I’m like, ‘No, I have to,'” Tyson told Esquire, stressing that his multi-million dollar purse “is not going to change my financial life in any way.”
“I’m a glory junkie. I love people thinking about me all day long,” Tyson said. “I’d rather live a short life of glory than a long life of obscurity. It’s just who I am.”