Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have agreed to fight. And who agrees it’s a good idea?
It might not be a fight for the ages. But it will be a fight for the aged.
Tyson is 59. Mayweather is 48. And according to a press release announcing the fight, this spring the Hall of Fame boxers will climb into the ring with their combined age of 107 and combined head trauma of, well, is there any way to know for sure?
This is indisputable: Less than a year ago, Tyson looked feeble in the boxing ring in a unanimous decision against Jake Paul. He later said he forget everything that happened after the first round, while the rest of us did not have that same luxury.
In a press release announcing the fight, Mayweather called the fight an “exhibition.’’ He has fought several of them since he retired in 2017 at 50-0. But there’s still the fear of a pillow fight gone awry.
“I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this,’’ Tyson said, according to the press release. “It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening!”
On his Instagram page, Mayweather wrote, “’I Fear NO Man but GOD! Let’s Get It!!’
Of course, that’s the type of talk that’s going to get people to watch the fight. And maybe crafted simply for marketing purposes. But it’s also cause for concern.
Head trauma is no joke. Particularly for someone like Tyson, who looked out of sorts during his first pro fight in two decades. Paul looked like he let Tyson off the hook.
Since retiring, Mayweather has fought eight exhibition fights, including one against Logan Paul in 2021. He has emerged unscathed, scoring three TKOs and winning all but a DQ against John Gotti III for excessive trash talking.
That’s likely what is about to ensue. Trash talk leading to a pillow fight between two legends.
But what if it’s more than that? What if the legends can’t resist their old impulses? What if heavy punches land, brains wobble and the head trauma sets in.
Is it too late to hit the brakes?