Mike Tyson recently made a deeply emotional admission following his fight against Jake Paul. The match, which took place in front of 70,000 spectators in Texas, ended with the YouTuber-turned-boxer securing a points victory over the former heavyweight champion. Tyson, 58 years old and returning to the ring after a 19-year hiatus from professional competition, struggled significantly, landing only 18 punches compared to Paul’s 78.
Despite the loss, which marked Tyson’s seventh professional defeat in 57 bouts, the legendary boxer expressed interest in facing Paul’s brother, Logan, and hinted at potentially stepping into the ring again.
However, Tyson recently revealed that the experience left him feeling down. During an interview on FOX Sports Radio, he shared that the aftermath of the fight was emotionally challenging. Reflecting on the intense build-up and preparation, he explained, “The 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.”
The bout had originally been planned for July but was delayed due to Tyson experiencing a severe health scare. Speaking about the incident, he recounted a terrifying moment on a flight where he began vomiting blood. He recalled asking a doctor if he was going to die, to which the doctor replied that there were “options.” Tyson underwent eight blood transfusions after losing nearly half his blood volume.
Tyson shared further details, revealing that he lost 25 pounds in just 11 days and was unable to consume solid food during that period. He described the ordeal, saying, “Every time I went to the bathroom, it smelled like tar. Didn’t even smell like s*** anymore. It was disgusting.” The recovery process disrupted his training, leaving him struggling with coordination and stamina as he prepared to face Paul.
Despite the challenges, Tyson maintained his fighting spirit, stating, “I just don’t give up. I’m an a****** sometimes. I’m a d***. If I haven’t outlived my enemies, I’ve turned them into my friends.”
For those who may be struggling emotionally, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) offers support. They operate from 5 PM to midnight every day and can be reached at 0800 58 58 58. They also provide a webchat service for those who prefer not to talk on the phone.