Mike Tyson faced serious questions over his ring ability at 58, ahead of a fight with YouTuber Jake Paul on November 15.
Podcast host Joe Rogan, who once hosted the hit show’ Fear Factor,’ says there’s no evidence the former heavyweight champion can move longer than 30-second bursts on social media. Rogan wants Tyson to provide longer training clips to prove he still can move around and fight as he approaches his sixties.
Despite being a huge fan of Tyson, Rogan says his conscience knows the Paul fight is ‘terrible’ and wishes the Netflix event would never occur.
“I wish he didn’t do it, and I wish it weren’t a thing,” Rogan said on The Joe Rogan Experience. “I wish it wasn’t a thing where a 58-year-old guy would fight a 28-year-old.
“That said, I fully support his desire to do it, but what will he live forever? No, he’s not going to live forever. Maybe he wants one more shot at it, or maybe his body can do one more fight?”
On the current furor over how he looks in the gym, Rogan added, “He looks great on the mitts, but I can look good on the mitts, especially if you’re watching 30-second clips. We want to see him sparring or hitting the bag for multiple rounds. I want to see how Mike’s feet move. I want to see if you’re off balance when you throw combinations.
“But he’s 58. I love that guy, and I’m a gigantic fan of his. The question is, how much does he have left today? 58 today is not 58 when I was 21. It’s a different 58, and especially if they’re not [drug] testing him.”
Rogan then mistakenly stated the fight was Pay Per View when it will be accessible to all 250 million plus Netflix subscribers without extra charge.
“How much does he want to do it? Is he doing it for money? How much does he have left in the tank? Those are all questions that’ll make me buy the PPV.
“But I’m going to feel bad if he gets knocked out, as conventional wisdom would say this is a terrible fight. Conventional wisdom would say there’s a 28-year-old with knockout power, real fast, young, athletic, and bold as s*** [launching huge punches at Tyson].
Tyson still needs to pass licensing tests before being given the green light to face Paul at AT&T Stadium in Texas. However, when World Boxing News recently contacted the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, they refused to provide a date.
To reaffirm his license, which is already active as Tyson was licensed to fight professionally before his health scare in June, the TDLR will assess the situation before making a final decision.
At worst, Paul vs. Tyson could be downgraded to an exhibition, which neither of the participants wants.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
