UFC CEO Dana White has been good friends with Mike Tyson for a long time and is concerned for his health ahead of his return to the boxing ring.
Friday, Tyson (50-6) will step through the ropes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to take on YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in an eight-round professional bout, which serves as the main event of the first live sporting event to stream on Netflix.
The matchup has drawn criticism due to the age difference, as Tyson, who is 58, will square off with a much younger Paul (10-1), who is 27. When asked about the fight, White refrained from talking down on the fight and instead offered concerns about Tyson’s health.
“I will not say anything bad about this fight because I love Mike Tyson,” White said on “The Jim Rome Show.” “The only thing that I hope is that Mike comes out of this fight healthy.
“… I just hope he does. At 58 years old, I mean, I’m 55, and obviously, I’ve never been the level of athlete that Mike Tyson is, but 27 vs. 58? It’s hard to consistently work out at that age just for health purposes and not get hurt. To train for something like this? It’s just – I love Mike. I hope he makes a bunch of money on Friday, and I hope he comes out healthy.”
Tyson was last in action four years ago in an exhibition boxing bout against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. It was a fight in which clearly both fighters were not trying to hurt each other that resulted in a draw. Tyson’s last professional bout was in June 2005 against Kevin McBride. Tyson lost the fight by TKO in the sixth round.
In the late 1980s, Tyson became a legendary force in the world of boxing as the WBC and IBF heavyweight champion. He was a crossover superstar who created viral moments way before the existence of social media. However, the days of Tyson’s prime in the ring are well behind him, and White understands why it would be difficult to turn down a lucrative offer to fight Paul.
“When you’ve accomplished what Mike Tyson has accomplished, and that type of money is offered to you, it’s hard to not,” White said. “It’s about Mike having money issues or anything like that. Mike does fine. Mike does well, but when you have that type of money waved in front of you – I’ve told this story, it’s been told a million times. When Mike was going to fight before, I said, ‘Mike, don’t do this.’ So, I put him on Shark Week. I get a deal done for him to do Shark Week. He’s like, ‘Oh you care about me? I’ve been fighting since I was 12, but you want to throw me in the water with sharks? You’re an idiot.’ And I can’t disagree with him. He’s absolutely right.
“… At the end of the day, it’s none of our business, it’s Mike Tyson’s business. He’s a grown man, he does what he wants to do, and I love him and I just want the best for him.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Paul vs. Tyson.