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Dana White Sentenced Mike Tyson Among a “Very Small Percentage” of Athletes, 14 Years Before Jake Paul Fight

Published 03/25/2024, 4:39 AM EDT

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Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul is the talk of the town in the fighting world. Despite the controversial matchup, the fighting community can’t wait to witness their beloved old legend step back into the ring again after years of inactivity. Their fight is scheduled to take place on July 20th.

Tyson is not a small fish in the pond; quite the opposite, he is the great white shark in the Pacific Ocean. His legacy is so strong that even kids who don’t know the “b” of boxing recognize the name Tyson. After Tyson departed from the boxing world, the heavyweight division fell into a bit of chaos, and Dana White knew this from a mile away.

Dana White’s honest opinion about Mike Tyson

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During his peak in boxing, Mike Tyson achieved a record of ͏50 wins, 44 of which were by knockout. Known as ‘The badde͏st ͏man on the planet,’ he created a legacy so formidable that the boxing world has yet to deliver another ͏Mike Tyson since his departure. Tyson left the boxing ring back in 2005 when he dropped his gloves.

The UFC CEO, Dana White knew that there would never be another Mike Tyson in the world of boxing after the departure of ‘Iron Mike’ from the fighting world. In a conversation with Fox Sports back in 2010, White argued what makes the fighters great. “Fighters are different than any other human beings on earth, and the greats, the best of the best, that’s how they are, that’s how they are built to the core. They are a unique group of people, and a very, very small percentage are the best in the world,” said White.

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He further emphasized that Tyson being a dark personality has a mellow character when he is not in the ring. White further stated, “I mean look at how he [Mike Tyson] is now, right? Remember how he was then? When you talk to MMA, some of these guys are really mellow, easy-going guys. But inside, that’s how they are. And if that’s not how you are, you don’t belong to this sport. And The thing with boxing is, the heavyweight division died with what he [Tyson] left.”

The last time Tyson wore his gloves was when he fought against Roy Jones Jr back in 2020. Their fight ended in a draw and since then Tyson has been away from the fight world but seems like the legend is willing to make a return, however, Tyson’s choice to fight Paul didn’t sit well the the UFC CEO.

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Dana White is in no mood to witness his old friend fight again

Mike Tyson might want to step into the boxing ring again but Dana White is not willing to witness his good old friend step back in the ring once again. White argues that Tyson is too old for this sport now. To put it into perspective, Tyson is going to be 58 while on the other hand Paul is only 27.

During the UFC 299 presser, White was asked about his opinion on the fight. He said, “He gets mad when I do this, but Mike’s 60, man. I don’t know, what do you guys think about it? Who gives a sh*t what I think? It’s not my fight. I love Mike Tyson personally as a friend, and he’s one of my favorite athletes of all time. I don’t know. Let’s see what he can go in there and put together a training camp and come in. I don’t like to see guys fighting at (that age). It’d be a 31-year age difference during that fight. You guys know what I think of that stuff.”

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Their fight will be aired on Netflix on July 29th. Will it be a new dawn for Mike Tyson or will it be another victory for Jake Paul? What’s your take on their fight? State your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by:

Suryakant Das

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Suryakant Das is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. His fascination with combat sports was sparked by gleeful moments he shared with his father watching wrestling. An ardent fan of UFC star Charles Oliveira, Surya closely follows the sport and keeps tabs on behind-the-scenes action.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das