Mike Tyson revealed he had eight blood transfusions, lost 25 pounds in hospital and “almost died” in June, a month before his Netflix fight with Jake Paul was originally scheduled and about five months before it actually took place on Saturday night.

“It’s one of those situations where you lost but still won,” Tyson, 58, wrote in his first message from Paul defeated the legendary boxer by unanimous decision. “I’m grateful for last night. No regrets about getting in the ring one last time. I almost died in June. I have had 8 blood transfusions. I lost half my blood and 25 pounds in the hospital and had to fight to get healthy again, so I won.

“Seeing my kids see me face to face and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboys stadium is an experience no man has the right to ask for.”

Saturday marked the first sanctioned fight for Tyson – who also added “thank you” and a praying hands emoji at the end of his message – since 2005, and he entered the fight with a career record of 50-6 .

But the health scare loomed over the fight, and Tyson appeared a step or two behind Paul for most of the fight – particularly during the third round and beyond – as the 27-year-old YouTuber landed blows on shot, with Tyson only fighting back at a fraction of that clip.

Tyson had an ulcer flare-up and suffered a medical emergency on a Miami-Los Angeles flight in Maywhich ultimately led to the fight postponed less than a week later.

“I want to thank my fans around the world for their support and understanding during this time,” Tyson said in a statement at the time of the postponement. “Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flare-up, my doctor advised me to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover. My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be returning to my full workout regime soon.

“Jake Paul, it may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be out of boxing for good. I appreciate everyone’s patience and look forward to delivering an unforgettable performance later this year.

This vintage evening, however, did not come to fruition.

The three judges each awarded the fight to Paul, turning the Netflix show into a disappointment as 60 million viewers tuned in and dealt with buffering issues, then a final fight where Tyson looked like a shell of the version he competed in at the height of his career. .

Some fans claimed Paul “carried” Tyson through the fight and didn’t seem to want to knock him out, which Paul apparently admitted during his post-fight press conference.

“I wanted to put on a show for the fans,” Paul said. according to NBC News“but I didn’t want to hurt someone who didn’t need to be hurt.”

Paul, in response to Tyson’s post on X, wrote“I love you Mike. It was an honor. You are an inspiration to us all.