On November 16th, 58-year-old Mike Tyson made his return to professional boxing after a 19-year hiatus, facing off against 27-year-old former YouTuber Jake Paul. The much-anticipated fight, however, played out exactly as many expected, with Tyson struggling to keep up. While Tyson showed a brief spark in the first round, his performance quickly faded, leaving Paul in control throughout the match. Despite holding back from going all-out, Jake Paul dominated, leading to a display that left fans feeling a mix of concern for Tyson and disappointment in the overall spectacle.
The fight garnered widespread commentary, including from actor Denzel Washington, who was recently on a press tour promoting his upcoming film Gladiator 2. As a long-time boxing fan, Washington had incorporated boxing into his fitness routine and was asked by Jimmy Kimmel about his thoughts on the Tyson vs. Paul fight. Washington, who shares a professional relationship with Tyson, kept his response light-hearted and respectful, saying, “Mike is one of the all-time [greats], and I’m glad he got paid.” His answer, which was met with laughter, indicated that while he didn’t want to disrespect Tyson, he wasn’t overly impressed with the fight either.
Kimmel then showed a throwback photo of Washington and Tyson from Tyson’s 2002 fight against Lennox Lewis, where Washington appeared to be more joyful than when he won his Oscar. The conversation shifted to Tyson’s previous appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he revealed that he used cannabis before fights. Kimmel jokingly asked Washington if he sensed any of that influence in the ring, to which the actor responded with a dry smile, “No, I didn’t, I did not.” Despite his playful tone, it was clear that the performance left an impact on Washington.
Looking at the CompuBox statistics, the fight seemed like one of Tyson’s worst performances. Tyson only landed 18 punches out of 97 attempts and five of 62 jabs, equating to just an 18.6% accuracy rate. In comparison, his performance in his 2020 exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. saw much better results, with Tyson landing 67 out of 193 punches and a 34.7% accuracy rate. This stark difference highlighted how much Tyson’s skills had declined with age, and the Jake Paul fight underscored the challenges of returning to the ring after such a long break.
The match ultimately ended as a one-sided affair, with Jake Paul even pausing the fight with seconds remaining to show respect to the boxing legend. Tyson’s age and lack of form were evident, and the fight raised concerns about his future in the sport. If rumors are true about Tyson planning a trilogy with Evander Holyfield, fans and analysts alike hope he reconsiders, as this fight serves as a reminder that even the greatest boxers are susceptible to the effects of time.
