In his first interview since his fight against Jake Paul, Mike Tyson revealed that he almost died before the event.
He also talked about his health scare, which he revealed was a frightening experience.
Tyson lost to Paul by a unanimous decision. The former heavyweight champion’s age difference with the match’s opponent became evident as the two competed.
In a statement released on Sunday, Tyson talked about his health issues and how they motivated him to fight.
“I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs (11kg) in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won.
He noted that his kids didn’t get to see him perform at his peak. Despite the loss, Tyson still left as the ‘winner’.
He stated that he was grateful for the opportunity to fight in his last bout. He noted that he almost died in June due to his health issues, which involved eight blood transfusions.
He also said that he fought to keep himself healthy so he could fight in front of a packed crowd. He added that it was an amazing experience for his kids to watch him fight.
Jake Paul stated that he was very grateful for Tyson’s victory and thanked him for inspiring people.
Tyson’s revelation about his health scare and how he fought despite the issue shocked many people. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix criticized the fight being allowed to go ahead.
Since Iron Mike hadn’t fought in almost two decades, many boxing fans were hoping for a knockout victory over Paul.
However, it wasn’t to be. In his post-fight interview, Paul noted that he could have knocked Tyson out during the final rounds, but he decided not to hurt his opponent.
During the fight, Tyson had to wear a protective leg brace due to his condition. He also felt tired throughout the fight. Paul stated that he would happily fight again against anyone, including Mexican star Saul Alvarez.