Former heavyweight boxing king Mike Tyson is making his way back into the ring. But, the biggest question surrounding his combat sports comeback is regarding his age — how old is “Iron Mike”? Also, when was the last time he laced up gloves ahead of a sanctioned bout?
On March 7, Most Valuable Promotions announced that it was bringing to life a fight between Tyson and Jake Paul. They’re scheduled to duke it out on Saturday, July 20, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The surprising contest will stream exclusively on Netflix.
Well, it’s impossible to talk about the upcoming affair without discussing Tyson’s age.
He’s 57 years old, and by the time he steps into the ring opposite “The Problem Child,” he’ll have turned 58. Tyson, an international sports icon, made his professional boxing debut in 1985 — around 12 years before Paul was born. “The Problem Child” turned 27 in January, and for those who aren’t quick with math, that means there’s a 30-year gap between the two competitors.
Paul isn’t a stranger to boxing much older men. In 2022, he battled former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. “The Spider” was 47 at the time, while Paul was 25. Another example was his back-to-back fights with ex-UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Paul defeated the then-39-year-old twice in 2021, including via a vicious knockout.
So, even though Tyson is one of the most credentialed boxers on the planet, and far and away the most experienced opponent Paul’s drawn, Iron Mike’s age is a stain on the match.
Most combat sports athletes retire from their respective sports in their 30s after their prime passes them by. Heck, Tyson’s last professional match was in 2005, when he was 38. The older an athlete gets, their ability to withstand damage decreases, along with their speed, timing, and overall athletic prowess.
Still, Iron Mike’s defeat at the hands of Kevin McBride wasn’t his last venture into the ring. In 2020, Tyson boxed fellow legend and former champion Roy Jones Jr. in a Triller exhibition match. Although it was scored as a split draw by the WBC, Tyson impressed many onlookers despite hesitation heading into the match. He was 54 at the time, and many were leery of how things would pan out even though Tyson looked as physical as ever.
Well, fast forward nearly four years and expect the conversations around Tyson’s age to ramp up — he’s closer to 60 than Paul is 30. Lastly, it’s important to note that we’re still missing key information regarding the Texas clash, specifically whether or not it’ll be an exhibition match, what weight class they’ll meet at, and how many rounds they’ll go for.
