Mike Tyson in sad post-fight reveal as Jake Paul cops backlash after 'pathetic' act

Mike Tyson has revealed he nearly died back in June after falling sick adding to the mystery to why he was allowed to fight Jake Paul in a controversial comeback to the ring. The world was captivated when Tyson announced he would make his return to the ring at 58 years old having signed on to fight YouTuber, turned boxer, Paul.

The original fight, scheduled in June, was cancelled due to Tyson falling sick and the bout went ahead this weekend with Paul winning an 'embarrassing' spectacle against a very slow and struggling Tyson. While many thought Tyson would be too strong for Paul, the former heavyweight champion slowed down dramatically after the second round and threw only a handful of punches to see out the fight.

Paul tried to show his respect for Tyson with a few seconds remaining having pulled his punches in order to avoid hurting the older opponent. Although the crowd was not pleased with the event as boos rang around the arena.

Tyson cut an exhausted figure after the fight having admitted he didn't step back into the ring to prove anything to anybody. Although he did take to social media after the bout and claimed he nearly died back in June after falling ill, which resulted in the first fight being cancelled.

"This is one of those situations when you lost but still won," he wrote on Platform X. "I'm grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time. I almost die in June.

"I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won."

"To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for."

Jake Paul called out for ugly boxing scenes

While Tyson was resilient in the ring against a 27-year-old fighter, his latest reveal begs the question why the bout even went ahead. Before the fight, promoters Eddie Heard and Frank Warren blasted the spectacle and said Tyson should not be fighting.

And while Paul claimed he didn't want to knock Tyson out, fans were left disappointed with the showing and questioned how Tyson was allowed to take punches to the head at 58 years old. Arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world right now, Terence Crawford, was critical of the showing and didn't hold back.

Crawford claimed Tyson looked like 'trash' in the ring, but was glad the former heavyweight champion wasn't hurt by his opponent. Others agreed the bout was a 'sad' watch with many questioning why Paul want to take the fight against a much older man. Boos ringing around the arena said it all with another bizarre boxing spectacle only damaging the reputation of the sport.

Before the fight even took place, there were question marks over why it was happening. British promoter Hearn was candid when asked about the fight and said Tyson shouldn't be stepping into the ring at 58 years old.

“Twenty years ago, Mike Tyson retired from boxing, and was shot to pieces, right? I mean, completely shot,” Hearn said this week ahead of the fight. “If anyone thinks that Mike Tyson should be in a ring at this age, you either have absolutely no emotional feelings toward the man, or you’re an idiot. It shouldn’t be happening.”

And he wasn't the only critic of the bout. Rival promoter Warren agreed with Hearn. “Mike Tyson is 58 years of age and he shouldn’t be fighting,” Warren said months ago after the fight was officially announced. “It’s as simple as that.

“Anyone with an ounce of brains knows that it is ridiculous. You can be on a motorway stuck in a traffic jam and you get to the end of it and all it is people who have stopped to look at a crash — and that’s what this is.”