In a revealing interview with Fox Nation’s Sean Hannity, legendary boxer Mike Tyson has opened up about his decision to proceed with his highly anticipated match against Jake Paul despite facing severe health complications.
The 58-year-old sports icon disclosed that legal concerns played a crucial role in his decision to enter the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, last November. “I was worried about getting sued,” Tyson admitted. “I was like, ‘God, they’re going to sue me if I don’t do this fight’.”
The match, which drew an impressive 65 million viewers on Netflix, came after Tyson had initially postponed the event in July due to an ulcer flare-up. The severity of his condition was more serious than initially reported, with Tyson revealing he suffered from a three-inch bloody ulcer that required multiple medical interventions.
“I had to have, what, 10 blood transfusions,” Tyson explained. “Each time I do this, I was like the same doing Roy Jones as doing this one. My wife sees me screaming because my body is in so much pain. And I come home, I’m like, ‘Ah, ah. I promise I wouldn’t do this to myself’.”
The bout concluded with 28-year-old Paul securing a unanimous decision victory. Paul later stated he deliberately held back from delivering a knockout blow during the match he dominated.
Speaking to the New York Post last month, Tyson acknowledged his ongoing recovery: “I feel pretty good. I don’t know if I’m 100 per cent recovered, but I feel good.”
In a December interview with Fox Sports Radio, Tyson shared his limited recollection of the event: “I don’t remember the match that much, I kind of blanked out. I haven’t watched the match. You know what I remember… coming back from the first round and Jake was doing some sort of bow… that’s the last thing I remember.”
The former world champion, who retired in 2005, had only participated in one exhibition bout since 2020 before facing Paul. Despite the health scare and subsequent match, Tyson surprisingly called out Jake’s brother, Logan, in the ring afterward, though industry insiders suggest this matchup is unlikely to materialize.
