After Mike Tyson’s first professional boxing match in nearly 20 years proved little more than a high-profile mismatch on Friday night, the former undisputed heavyweight champion expressed satisfaction with his performance and hinted that he may stay unretired.
Tyson dropped an eight-round unanimous decision at AT&T Stadium to the YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a fight streamed globally to Netflix’s 280m subscribers at no additional cost. The 58-year-old managed to win just two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards, losing by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 (twice) but finishing the proceedings on his feet and remaining unbowed.
“I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself,” said Tyson, who was coming off a 7,097-day layoff. “I’m not one of those guys that looks to please the world. I’m just happy with what I can do.”
A silhouette of the destructive force that cut a swath through the heavyweight division in the late 1980s, Tyson was unable to sustain his aggressive swarming approach from the opening round while a black brace on his right knee appeared to hamper his movement from the second frame onward.
Tyson reluctantly admitted he was dealing with an injury entering the fight, but refused to blame it for the outcome.
“I can’t use that for excuses,” said Tyson, who landed just 18 of 97 punches (18.6%) in the contest, compared to 78 of 278 (28.1%) by Paul. “If I did, I wouldn’t be in there.”
The former champion went on to praise Paul, the social media star who has managed to develop into a competent boxer since taking up the sport and turning professional in 2020, before saying that he would consider taking another fight.
“It depends on the situation,” said Tyson. Pressed on whether he thought Friday night would be his final appearance in a boxing ring, the Brooklyn native added: “I don’t think so.”
Paul appeared to go easy on Tyson in the final rounds of what at times was a lamentable display. The YouTube star bowed to Tyson with respect in the seconds before the final bell before offering him praise in the immediate aftermath.
“First and foremost, Mike Tyson, it’s such an honour. Let’s give it up for Mike,” Paul said after the two embraced in the centre of the ring.
“He’s the greatest to ever do it. He’s the Goat, he’s a legend. I look up to him, I’m inspired by him and we wouldn’t be here today without him. This man is an icon and it’s just an honour to be able to fight him. And he’s obviously the toughest, baddest man on the planet.”
