Mike Tyson is, undoubtedly, one of boxing’s greatest athletes. Tyson, who retired back in 2005 with a record of 50-6, was known in his prime as “Iron Mike” and later “The Baddest Man on the Planet,” for a good reason—he paired an intimidating boxing style with controversial behavior outside of the ring. Now, almost two decades since his retirement, Tyson is set to face Jake Paul in a bout that will be streamed live on Netflix.
The road here has been long. Tyson is, after all a Hall of Fame boxer. Paul, his opponent, only started boxing in recent years and made his name as a YouTube content creator. So why is a man widely considered one of the greatest fighters of all time, named ESPN’s #1 hardest hitter in heavyweight history, and the youngest heavyweight champion ever at just 20 years old even in this fight? The answer might just simply be money. The purse for the fight is reportedly around $80 million, with Tyson set to receive at least $20 million.
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For someone whose reported net worth has taken quite a hit since his prime, that’s a big number. “I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas,” said Tyson about the upcoming fight. “He’s grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ‘kid’ can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT. It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”
Tyson’s reputation precedes him. In his prime he was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. But these days, Tyson is not just retired, he hasn’t even fought an exhibition fight in four years. So, why did Tyson retire? And is he officially un-retiring for the fight against Paul?
Why did Mike Tyson retire?
Tyson retired after losing a fight against Kevin McBride in 2005 by technical knockout. Tyson was seemingly ahead in two judges scorecards, but he failed to answer the bell for the 7th round, and was ruled defeated by TK. After the fight, Tyson explained himself in a post-match interview, saying, “I just don’t have this in my heart anymore.” To further interrogation about whether his opponent had made him feel this way, Tyson replied, “No, I’m just fighting to take care of my bills basically.’’
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The boxer had filed for bankruptcy in 2003 and, at the time, was heavily in debt. Court records indicate that Tyson was set to fight at least seven times to help pay off his debts to the IRS and other creditors. But Tyson would not fight again—until now.
Why is he coming back? And why is he returning in a pro bout, sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to fight an opponent like Paul? The former championed has offered a lot of explanations, ranging from “Because I can” to “Because it’s easy,” without forgetting “Because I started Jake’s career and I’m going to end it.’’ Whether any of them are the real answer it’s impossible to tell. But as Tyson prepares to unretire and fight his first pro match in almost two decades, one thing is for certain—the world will be watching.
