After his bout with Jake Paul last year, many believed Mike Tyson would never step into the boxing ring again. He looked slow, fatigued after the opening round, and ultimately lost to Paul via unanimous decision. Yet, against the odds, Tyson seems determined to prove he still has something left. An exhibition clash with Floyd Mayweather has now been announced for 2026. While no exact date or venue has been revealed, both legends appear eager to share the ring.

Still, fans remain divided—some excited, others concerned about seeing Mike Tyson risk his health at 59. Former world champion Shawn Porter recently weighed in during an interview with TMZ Sports. The 37-year-old likened the matchup to Mayweather’s WWE showdown with Big Show and cautioned Tyson against repeating the same mistakes he made against Jake Paul.

Porter claims Mike Tyson didn’t spar before fighting Jake Paul

“I don’t know what that fight looks like,” Porter told the reporter when asked about whether Tyson and Mayweather are going to try to knock each other’s heads off. The sheer weight difference between the boxers has confused him about how the fight would go down. “Then you think about when Floyd got in the ring with Big Show, we already know… that the WWE is fake. It’s kind of like acceptable, but it wouldn’t be acceptable in a boxing ring…”

This led Porter to predict that the fight wouldn’t happen. “I’ll have to do what I did once before with Mike and Jake, and I’m gonna go on record for saying this doesn’t happen… This doesn’t make sense,” he added. However, in case the fight does happen, Porter figured out the mistake Mike Tyson made before his fight against Jake Paul. “For his preparation to get in the ring with Jake Paul, Mike Tyson did zero sparring,” Porter alleged. 

He argued that he would love to be proven wrong, but remained adamant, “The dude didn’t have five sparring sessions. I can guarantee that.” Porter blamed Tyson’s movement, frustration during the fight, and a lack of conditioning for exposing that mistake. “You could see that it was directly because he did not spar,” Porter said. However, he warned that now, with Tyson’s intentions to fight Floyd Mayweather, he can’t afford to make that mistake again. 

“If he’s going to get in the ring with Floyd Mayweather, that’s the thing he needs more than he needed with Jake is timing,” Porter continued. “If he’s going to get in the ring with Floyd Mayweather, he’s going to have to do some sparring. He’s going to have to spar some really fast guys.” However, Porter doesn’t think Tyson still has it in him to go through an entire training camp for a fight. 

“I don’t know at what level he’s going to take this seriously… I think he’s just beyond that age of… There’s something you can do to muster it up. I think he’s all ketchup. There’s no mustard there anymore,” he concluded during the interview. However, Porter isn’t alone in his worries.

Former British boxer predicts ‘Iron’ Mike vs. Floyd Mayweather

Talking about the fight with Sky Sports recently, Johnny Nelson expressed his concern over Tyson’s ability to fight at the age of 59. “He’s probably not as physically active in the boxing gym as Floyd is,” Nelson said. “Floyd still keeps himself in relatively good condition. I mean, hitting the bag, moving around, and things like that.”

Nelson feels that, thanks to their turbulent past, their egos will clash in the ring when the two fighters meet, and it might not end well for Tyson. “I think ego is going to get the better of Mike rather than common sense,” he added. Despite Tyson’s size advantage, Nelson feels Tyson’s fighting style doesn’t suit his age. 

Floyd Mayweather, on the other hand, Nelson claimed, “Even though he might be smaller, he’ll be the one that’s got the movement. He’s still got the ring craft.” 

The predictions against Mike Tyson are piling up since the fight with Floyd Mayweather was announced. However, do you agree with Porter and Nelson?