Mike Tyson: Boxing legend almost died in June

Boxing legend Mike Tyson (58) released a shocking statement just one day after his comeback defeat against Jake Paul (27). “I almost died in June,” the former heavyweight champion admitted. He had to be saved with a total of eight blood transfusions.

The beginning of his health crisis occurred in late May during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles. About 30 minutes before landing, Tyson began to feel dizzy and nauseous. A stomach ulcer forced the crew to request medical help for the boxing champion while he was still on board, it was said at the time. The fight against Paul, which was originally planned for July 20, 2024 and was highly controversial in the boxing scene, had to be postponed.

But the drama behind the events was not known until now: “I lost half of my blood and 25 pounds of weight in the hospital,” says Tyson, describing the incident. The ex-champion also remembers the anxious moments in the Netflix documentary “Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson”: “I asked the doctor if I was going to die. And she didn’t say no. She just said we had options. That’s when I got really uneasy.”

At the time, however, the seriousness of the disease was kept secret from the public. “My doctor advised me to ease up on my training for a few weeks to rest and recover.”

Despite the health setbacks, Tyson got into the ring on November 15th in Arlington, Texas against Jake Paul, 30 years his junior, at the Dallas Cowboys football stadium. “I had to fight hard to get healthy again,” emphasizes the boxer. “Being able to go through eight rounds in front of my children against a talented fighter half my age in a sold-out Cowboys Stadium is an experience no one should expect.”

His opponent Jake Paul also showed respect after the fight. “I love you, Mike”,. The fight was broadcast live on Netflix and drew thousands of viewers to AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Tyson announced in the ring that he might want to get into the ring again.