Mike Tyson steps into the ring. His youthful appearance does not reveal the power he possesses. It’s 1985, and the heavyweight is about to make his professional boxing debut. One minute and 47 seconds later, Tyson, at 18 years old, has already forced his opponent, Hector Mercedes, to back down after a series of devastating punches.
It was the beginning of a formidable career, filled with ups and downs. Now, 39 years later, “Iron Mike” will return to the ring at 58 years old.
This Friday (15), Tyson will don his gloves once again for a professional fight against 27-year-old YouTuber Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
His last professional fight was a loss to Kevin McBride over 19 years ago, and his last exhibition match was four years ago when, coincidentally, Paul was fighting in just his second professional bout at that same event.
The duo was initially scheduled to fight in July of this year, but the match was postponed after Tyson had an ulcer outbreak.
Competing at the highest level presents challenges as athletes age, with physical and mental fitness becoming harder to regain. But in a sport like boxing, the neurological challenges stand out.
Considering that his entire professional life has been based on being hit in the head, Tyson may be at greater risk of neurological damage when he returns to the ring, according to experts.
The real danger of the sport does not only come from the big, explosive knockouts that get fans on their feet. Long-term repercussions can arise from the repeated blows to the head that boxers receive during a fight and during training.
Boxers can develop symptoms or conditions such as inability to sleep, chronic dizziness, chronic post-concussion symptoms, chronic parkinsonian signs, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) long after they retire.
The age of 40 is often used as a cutoff for boxers because, from this age, athletes are more susceptible to injury or recovery issues.
Due to all the obvious health risks, boxing faces opposition around the world, with some associations already taking the initiative to call for the sport to be banned completely.
But despite these appeals, it remains one of the most popular sports in the world, for obvious reasons. The explosive nature of the sport, the stories, and the colorful personalities make it a must-watch in front of the TV.
And Mike Tyson has brought all of this to boxing throughout his long and often controversial career.
When he steps into the ring on Friday, who wouldn’t want to watch?
Netflix will begin coverage of the full fight card at 8 PM (Eastern Time) on Friday, November 15. The exact time of the fight between Tyson and Paul has yet to be determined, as the other fights on the card may serve as variables.
Source: CNN