As soon as Mike Tyson’s professional fight with Jake Paul was announced, the news was met with understandable criticism – which was only encouraged further when their initial fight was postponed due to an ulcer flare-up.
Now, there is a new injury concern emerging for 58-year-old Tyson after videos emerged of a compression sleeve on his knee.
YouTube sensation Jake Paul has gone 10-1 as a professional since debuting in 2020, that lone defeat coming against the most established boxer on his record – Tommy Fury.
However, he is now being tasked with a legend of the sport as he gears up to take on ‘Iron Mike’ at the AT&T Stadium, with a 31-year age gap between the pair making Paul the favourite despite the much-lauded achievements accomplished in the past.
Paul-Tyson was originally scheduled to take place in July, but Tyson was forced to postpone because of stomach ulcers, as Paul proceeded to knock out late replacement Mike Perry.
With the new fight date just three weeks away, questions as to whether Mike Tyson should return to professional boxing after a near 20-year spell of inactivity are re-emerging and those concerns were given further merit when the once ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ posted a clip of himself training with a seemingly vulnerable knee.
I’m just getting started.#PaulTysonpic.twitter.com/ZdDwQ8FbBR
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) October 23, 2024
Although, Mike Tyson’s agent Andrew Ruf has now explained that the knee of the two-time champion is only in a sleeve as a ‘precaution’, as per USA Today.
“Andrew Ruf, Tyson’s agent, said by text message the compression sleeve is “preventative,’’ like one tennis star Novak Djokovic has worn.
“I think the same brand even,’’ Ruf said. “No injury here. He’s looking invincible.’’
“Ruf said he’d seen Tyson wear the compression sleeve in training before and asked about it.
“…that’s how I know Djokovic uses it,” he said.”
Whether fans like it or not, Paul-Tyson is set to be one of the biggest events of 2024 and will be free to watch live on Netflix, as the controversial main-event tops a card that features a record-breaking undisputed title clash on the November 15th bill in Texas.
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