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Last Friday, Mike Tyson ended his 19-year retirement to face influencer boxing star Jake Paul in his first professional boxing match since 2005. Unfortunately, the fight was overshadowed by concerns about Tyson's age and health. At 58 years old, he was 31 years older than his opponent.
Naturally, the fight ended with a loss for Tyson and another loss for boxing as a whole. To make matters worse, it wasn't the first instance of an aging boxing icon coming out of retirement to fight a much younger foe they would have outclassed in their physical prime.
Roy Jones Jr. and Evander Holyfield, two all-time greats, have also been guilty of doing so. It is time to reflect: retired legends should stay retired and avoid staining their legacies and the sport by losing to lesser boxers when they're no longer capable of their best.
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Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight was a farce. There was a 31-year age difference between the pair, and it was brought up as a source of apprehension by UFC CEO Dana White. Despite all of the surrounding hype and pre-fight vows to win, neither man looked good.
Tyson looked all 58 years of his age. From a defensive standpoint, he was still slick, bobbing and weaving, slipping Paul's jabs. Unfortunately, the spring was no longer there in his legs, and not only was his mobility crippled by old age, so too was his cardio, with Tyson gasping for air after just a round.
Check out Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson highlights:
Tyson just lacked the athleticism to make his old tricks work on the offense and subsequently lost to Paul in a listless fight. Given how great he once was, a feared knockout artist who became the youngest-ever world heavyweight champion boxer, losing to a boxer of no accomplishment like Paul was deflating for Tyson.
Paul has achieved nothing in boxing in the professional sense, capturing no titles, beating no serious boxers, and losing to the only decent boxer he's ever faced, Tommy Fury. 'Iron Mike' should have stayed retired.
Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anthony Pettis
In his prime, Roy Jones Jr. was a physical specimen, unlike others. He was unorthodox, but his boxing style worked optimally due to the combination of speed, agility, explosiveness, and massive power. These physical attributes carried him to world title success in four different weight classes.
However, once he started aging, Jones' limitations were revealed. He was never a highly skilled technician. He was skilled enough, but freakishly athletic, such that he did what few others could in the ring. So, when he retired in 2018 after no longer being the boxer he once was, it felt overdue.
However, he returned five years later to take on former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, who was never an exceptional boxer, even in MMA. 'Showtime' was a dynamic striker in his prime, but he was mainly a kicker, and needed ample space and time to throw kicks with leverage and power.
Check out Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anthony Pettis highlights:
Moreover, he was easy to back up, as he moved linearly, didn't know how to pivot in pocket boxing exchanges, and just wasn't a good puncher. When they fought, Pettis was wary of Jones' power, while the legendary pugilist was much slower than remembered, looking like less than a shadow of his former self.
In the end, Jones lost via majority decision, which would have been unanimous if not for Pettis' fouling. It was a poor loss, as Pettis has no business in a boxing ring, being a mediocre pugilist who struggles with fundamentals. It was an even worse defeat than Mike Tyson's.
Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort
Decades ago, Evander Holyfield was one of the finest heavyweight boxers the sport had ever produced. He was a brainy student of the game, and famously defeated Mike Tyson twice, with the second instance being one of the most talked-about disqualifications in boxing history.
Unfortunately, Holyfield didn't age well, absorbing tremendous damage throughout his career. This was due largely to his toughness and stubborn will to continue fighting even when outgunned. By 2011, he retired from the sport. However, as is the case with most fighters, he just couldn't stay away.
In 2021, he returned against former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort. The Brazilian is an MMA legend and pioneer with a high finishing rate. Moreover, he was known for his crushing power and lightning-quick hands. When the two men locked horns, it was a one-sided beatdown.
Check out Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort highlights:
Holyfield had aged terribly, looking uncoordinated and unable to absorb even glancing blows from Belfort. Worse still, the bout was an exhibition match, which should have prevented Holyfield from losing so badly. But in just under two minutes, Belfort TKO'd him.
While Belfort is a respected MMA icon, he is no high-level boxer, certainly not enough to annihilate the likes of Holyfield, who is one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Unfortunately, time is undefeated and Holyfield chose to box too far past his career's expiration date.
He should have never walked back on his retirement, because now the last memory fans have of him is that of a stumbling old man who looked uncoordinated and helpless against an MMA fighter.
