Remember why Mike Tyson said he would come out of retirement at 58 fight Jake Paul It’s like trying to remember all your knockouts.

Some explanations from Tyson:

“Because I can.”

“Because it’s easy.”

“Because I started Jake’s career and I’m going to end it.”

To better understand why Tyson should enter the ring on November 15 for a heavyweight fight streamed live by Netflixit’s better to look back – almost two decades.

A crowd of 15,472 stood and roared as Mike Tyson entered the ring at the MCI Center in Washington, DC, on June 11, 2005. Ten months after suffering a fourth-round knockout against Danny Williams, he faced Irish journeyman Kevin. McBride.

At 6-6 and 271 pounds, McBride towered over Tyson at 5-10 and 133 pounds. But as host Steve Albert said on “Showtime,” most people thought Tyson couldn’t lose the fight “even if he tried.”

Muhammad Ali visited Tyson in his dressing room before the fight started. Later, the Greatest sat among the noisy crowd and witnessed the unimaginable.

‘Enough,’ said Tyson’s trainer

Tyson started slow and McBride bludgeoned him with a few right hands. With 10 seconds left in the round, Albert told viewers: “Many thought it would be over by now. »

It was only just beginning.

Fighting in fits and starts, Tyson then unleashed his characteristic fury. He also landed a low blow, resulting in a warning from referee Joe Cortez. He then attempted to injure McBride’s left arm in the clinch, which drew another warning from Cortez. Opened a cut over McBride’s left eye with an intentional headbutt, prompting Cortez to deduct two points from Tyson from each of the scorecards.

McBride pushed Tyson to the ground before the end of the sixth round.

Tyson struggled to get up before returning to his corner and sitting on the stool.

Moments later, the referee approached. “Is that it?”

“Enough,” replied Tyson’s trainer, Jeff Fenech. Tyson did not object even though it turned out he was ahead on two of the three judges’ scorecards.

Soon after, Tyson joined Jim Gray for an in-ring interview.

“I just don’t have it in my heart anymore,” he said.

“Did you feel like you were done with the fight,” Gray asked.

“No, I’m just struggling to pay my bills,” said Tyson, who had filed for bankruptcy in 2003.

A plan accepted by the bankruptcy court called for Tyson to fight at least seven times to help him repay his debts: $18 million to the IRS and $10 million to other creditors, according to court records.

But it was his last professional fight — until now — and Tyson said the IRS never attempted to collect the money he owed.

Tyson vs. Paul: the comeback

March 7. That day, the official announcement came. Tyson would fight again, this time against Paul.

Not in an exhibition like he did with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, it turned out. But rather in a fight sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Again, it’s a good time to look back.

In 2020, Tyson credited the use of psychedelics with helping him give up cocaine and alcohol, improve his relationships with his family, lose more than 100 pounds, and return to the boxing ring. Paul and others call Tyson “Uncle Mike”, reflecting the warmth rather than menace that Tyson often emits.

“I think Mike deserves a medal for being able to change his life so dramatically,” Fenech said. “I mean, it’s one of the greatest stories in the history of anything.”

Tyson and Jones, who fought eight rounds in a draw according to celebrity judges, generated 1.6 million pay-per-views at $49.99 apiece, according to fight organizers.

Now, Tyson says he doesn’t need the money and doesn’t fight for his paycheck. But don’t forget that he had a lot less money and still managed to waste it all.

In 2003, he declared bankruptcy despite having won $400 million in boxing. Since then, he’s been involved in failed projects such as Tyson Ranch, a cannabis-themed resort in California – and successful projects – Tyson 2.0, his current cannabis company that replaced the initial fiasco.

Tyson dismissed the importance of money. But during a 2022 episode of the now-defunct podcast, “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson,” he said his wife, Kiki, wanted money for her safety. They have two children, a 15-year-old daughter, Milan, and a 13-year-old son, Morocco, and Tyson has four adult children from other relationships.

“What is security? » Tyson asked on the podcast.

Tyson is expected to earn $20 million from his fight with Paul. During training, at least once, he said he felt like he was 25 again. Unlike the 38-year-old who intentionally headbutted Kevin McBride, hit McBride with a low blow and let the frustration wash over him, much like the night he bit off a chunk of his ear. ‘Evander Holyfield.

Faced with the question of why he would return to boxing at age 58, Tyson offered a variety of answers. But it is undeniable: Tyson has the opportunity to look back on the ugly end of his career, and, at the same time, to cash a very big check.

This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Mike Tyson stopped on a stool. Then came a long way back to fight Paul