Mike Tyson, now 58, last fought professionally in 2005 before making a brief comeback in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr. Jake Paul, 27. He has built his boxing career fighting aging opponents and social media personalities. The fight was marketed as a crossover event between generations of boxing and was watched by millions. However, the match raised concerns about its authenticity.

Tyson lost the fight with the judges scoring it 80–72, 79–73, and 79–73… overwhelmingly in favor of Paul. From the start, it was clear that Tyson was in it purely for financial gain. Why would a 58-year-old man, arguably one of the greatest boxers in history, choose to step into the ring against an opponent in his prime? To me, it defies logic. The post-fight reports reinforce this, as Tyson immediately spent a significant portion of his earnings on a $13 million mansion in Florida.

In the weeks leading up to the fight, footage of Tyson’s sparring sessions created a different narrative. In these clips, he demonstrated speed, strong combos, and signature head movements that made fans believe he could genuinely challenge Paul. This pitted Paul’s fans and Tyson’s fans against each other which even further ramped up hype for the event. Mike’s sparring partners struggled to handle his aggression, and in one instance, Tyson even knocked his partner down with a vicious left hook. The expectation was set, Tyson would bring this same energy to fight night.

Yet, when the fight began, Tyson was unrecognizable. The relentless style that made him a legend was nowhere to be found. He fought passively, and, throwing only a few combinations, put his training videos to shame. His bob-and-weave technique, which was on full display in his sparring, was nonexistent. Paul even had multiple gaps in his defense. Any skilled fighter would have exploited these lapses, but did Tyson use these to his advantage? No. This drastic shift in behavior was suspicious.

One of the strangest moments from the fight added to the speculation. Midway through the bout, Tyson was caught chewing on his left glove. Given his infamous history of biting in the ring, this act stood out. Was it frustration at not being able to let loose on Paul? A stall tactic? The moment raised more questions about the fight’s legitimacy. Was it rigged for Paul to win and for both fighters to take a ton of money home? Ask yourself, how does a man who shows off his intense skills in sparring videos to prepare for the fight suddenly switch his entire demeanor when he hops in the ring? Some wanted to argue that Tyson was not used to the ring or that the ring was different so he had a hard time. What a bunch of baloney. The same materials are used to build each boxing ring. There is no difference. 

So, if Tyson displayed such aggressiveness in clips put out to the public, where was the same fierceness when he fought Paul? It is simple. The fight was rigged. If the real Mike Tyson was in there, we would have seen a real fight instead of the garbage performance we saw live.

Thus, the contrast between Tyson’s ferocious sparring performances and his lazy in-ring approach, combined with the glove-biting incident, points to a fight that was scripted. Not to mention both Tyson and Paul were seen partying happily at the White House inauguration party with Paul giving Tyson a piggyback ride. Whether it was to protect Paul’s growing boxing career, ensure the financial success of future crossover events like this, or simply provide an entertaining spectacle, the fight felt fake. Tyson may have stepped into the ring that night, but it was not the fighter we saw in training, it was a version designed to make sure Paul would win.