Nearly 40 years after making his professional debut, and 19 years after being battered into retirement, 58-year-old Mike Tyson will climb back into the ring on Friday for a bout that has drawn widespread condemnation across the boxing world.
Tyson, who terrorised the heavyweight division during an imperious reign in the late 1980s, is lacing up the gloves once more to take on Youtuber Jake Paul, 27, in an officially sanctioned fight at AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas.
The fight, which was initially due to take place in July was postponed in May after Tyson required medical treatment on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles after vomiting blood due to a bleeding ulcer.
That gory mid-air emergency has provided another piece of ammunition for the numerous critics who have condemned Friday’s contest as a macabre circus act that poses an unacceptable level of risk for Tyson, who last graced a professional ring in 2005 when he was beaten via a technical knockout after quitting on his stool against Irish journeyman Kevin McBride.
At an open workout in Texas this week, Tyson declared that a gruelling training camp had left him with the conviction “that I’m tougher than I believed I was.”
“When I agreed to this fight and started training, I thought ‘What was I thinking of?’ But I’ve finished the process. The fight is the party. All the hard work is done,” Tyson said.
His opponent Paul -- who was born six months before Tyson bit off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear in their infamous 1997 rematch -- rose to prominence as a Youtuber, before turning his attention to boxing.
What are the rules and regulations for the bout?
The fight is scheduled for eight two-minute rounds, as opposed to the normal three minutes and 10 or 12 rounds for most pro fights. Tyson and Paul also will use heavier gloves with the idea of decreasing the power of punches.
The gloves will be 14 ounces instead of 10. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has said Tyson’s physical condition met the criteria for the fight to proceed.
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(With inputs from AP and AFP)
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