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Legendary boxer Mike Tyson refused to rule out the possibility that he might even fight again.
Mike Tyson lost to Jake Paul in Netflix bout
The much-awaited return of legendary Mike Tyson ended in a one-sided defeat on Friday, with YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul cruising to victory by unanimous decision against the heavyweight icon in Texas.
Tyson barely landed a punch during the eight-round bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Paul winning by big margins on all three cards – 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73. After the defeat, the 58-year-old said he was satisfied with his performance despite the one-sided nature of the defeat.
“I came to fight. I didn’t prove anything to anybody, only to myself. I’m just happy with what I can do,” Tyson said after the fight.
Tyson had fought with a brace on his right knee but said it had not impacted his performance.
“I can’t use that as an excuse. If I did I wouldn’t be in here,” he said.
Tyson, meanwhile, praised the quality of his opponent Paul, who has successfully parlayed a career as a popular YouTuber and content creator into a string of lucrative boxing contests such as Friday’s event, bankrolled and broadcast by streaming giant Netflix.
“He’s a very good fighter,” said Tyson.
The legendary boxer further refused to rule out the possibility that he might even fight again.
“I don’t know. It depends on the situation,” said Tyson. Asked if it was his last fight, he added, “I don’t think so.”
Tyson, though, brushed off the concerns for his health, insisting that his critics were mostly jealous that he remains a box-office draw decades after his 1980s peak when he terrorised the heavyweight division.
Tyson was reportedly paid $20 million to sign up for Friday’s contest, which came 19 years after his last officially sanctioned professional bout, a defeat to Irish journeyman Kevin McBride in 2005. The former heavyweight champion’s return to the ring had been greeted with dismay across the boxing world, which had dismissed Friday’s contest as a macabre circus that risked injuring the boxing icon.
(With AFP Inputs)
