Widely revered as one of the greatest pugilists to enter the ring, Mike Gerard Tyson gave another reason to his fans worldwide to rejoice as he squared off against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on Saturday, November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Though “Iron Mike”, as he is popularly known among his fans, enchanted the spectators with his eagerly anticipated return to the ring, he looked a pale shadow of his vintage self. “The Baddest Man on the Planet” struggled to land his punches on Jake “The Problem Child” Paul and got peppered in return throughout the course of the eight-round fixture.
However, Tyson remained in the contest and didn’t throw in the white towel despite struggling for momentum. The judges eventually scored the fight 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73 in favour of Paul and the Tyson supporters suffered a heartbreak.
The bout was streamed live on Netflix and garnered plenty of eyeballs as both athletes measured each other with lethal blows. Interestingly, an old video featuring Tyson and the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali has resurfaced after the conclusion of Paul and Tyson’s fight and sent the netizens into a frenzy.
The video showcases a warm conversation between Ali and Tyson which unfolded during their appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. In the video, the host of the show, Hall, can be seen asking Ali, “What’s wrong?”
Ali responds to Hall by saying,” I’m scared of him,” while alluding to Tyson. Ali’s rib-tickling response triggers laughter in the crowd.
Watch the viral video:
After being egged on by Hall to answer, ” Who would have won, if you fought this man (Tyson) in your prime?” Ali replies, “I was a dancing master—not that powerful, but so fast. If he hit me, I’d go down.”
Overwhelmed by Ali’s praise, Tyson reverts with a response that floors the crowd gathered for the show.
“I’m vain. I know I’m great,” Tyson replies, but also adds, “In this situation, every head must bow, every tongue must confess—this is the GOAT,” referring to Ali.