The Mike Tyson most fans remember is gone. It doesn’t matter what you saw in his training videos. It doesn’t matter what you believe about Jake Paul or the rumors surrounding Tyson’s finances. The truth is simple: age and time inevitably take their toll, especially in the boxing ring.
Last night, Tyson looked every bit of his 58 years in the ring against Jake Paul. Gone was the speed, the signature head movement, and the pinpoint technique that once allowed him to close the distance against taller opponents and deliver devastating blows. This version of Mike Tyson had shorter arms and lacked the explosiveness to step inside and land the power punches that once struck fear into his rivals.
Sitting in the massive, breathtaking AT&T Center, it became painfully clear: Tyson knew exactly what to do. He could see every opening that the still-raw Jake Paul left unguarded. His boxing IQ and experience were intact, but there was a heartbreaking disconnect between mind and body. While his brain issued commands, his body simply could not—or would not—respond.
Mike Tyson was once one of the most ferocious punchers in the history of the sport. But like all great fighters, his time has come. Floyd Patterson found his Muhammad Ali. Ali found his Larry Holmes. And the great Holmes, too, met a younger Tyson in his prime.
Now, Mike Tyson has met his final opponent: Father Time. And like every fighter before him, he cannot win this fight.
This article is dedicated to my father, Ernest Ricks, Sr. , who came with me to see what we both hope is Mike Tyson’s final fight. Thanks Pops for introducing me to the beautiful art of boxing. Love you Pops!
