Oscar De La Hoya recently ran into Mike Tyson, as seen in a video below.
Mike Tyson, the legendary boxer and former undisputed heavyweight world champion, recently admitted on his podcast Hotboxin’ that he misses his days as an active fighter. The realization came to him while he was working as part of the promotional team for the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight in Saudi Arabia this past February. Despite the event generating solid numbers, Tyson felt that the attention and excitement around it was nothing compared to the days when he was the center of attention in the ring.
Tyson, who generated massive revenues from his fights during his heyday, such as the $112 million total revenue from his bout with Lennox Lewis and the $100 million from his rematch with Evander Holyfield, had considered the possibility of fighting Jake Paul. However, Paul wisely decided not to step in the ring with the former undisputed heavyweight world title holder.
In 2020, Tyson returned to the ring after almost twenty years of being out of action for an exhibition contest against multi-weight world champion Roy Jones Jr. The fight controversially ended in a draw, leaving fans wondering if Tyson would step back into the ring once more.
As for Jake Paul, he is set to return to competition in August against former UFC star Nate Diaz at the American Airlines Centre. The fight will take place at a catchweight of 185lbs, despite the fact that Diaz never campaigned higher than 170lbs during his MMA career.
Despite the massive commercial success of the Paul-Fury fight, Tyson’s comments highlight the intangible benefits that come with being an active fighter. The thrill of the competition, the roar of the crowd, and the feeling of being the center of attention are irreplaceable experiences that only come with being in the ring. While Tyson’s days as a professional fighter may be over, his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of all time will continue to inspire future generations of fighters.
