(Los Angeles) The fight scheduled for July 20 between ring legend Mike Tyson and the ultra-popular YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul has been postponed due to fears about the state of health of “Iron Mike”, announced Friday the organizers.
Tyson had to take medical treatment on Sunday aboard a plane from Miami to Los Angeles after complaining of nausea and dizziness.
In a statement Friday, match organizers said Mike Tyson had been advised to train as little as possible over the coming weeks. The former world heavyweight champion suffers from an “ulcer”.
“Mike and Jake agree that it is right to ensure that both athletes have the same amount of training time to prepare for this important match” and are able to compete “from highest level,” the press release continued.
“The health and well-being of the athletes is our first priority and we fully support Mike in his decision to take the time necessary to allow him to perform at the level he hopes for,” we can still read in this document, which specifies that a new date will be provided by June 7.
Aged 57, Mike Tyson has not fought professionally for almost 19 years and a defeat against the Irishman Kevin McBride.
His fight against Jake Paul, a 27-year-old YouTuber with more than 20 million subscribers, must be broadcast on Netflix and accessible to all the platform’s subscribers, i.e. 270 million households.
The clash is scheduled for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, a stadium with around 80,000 seats.
Many observers, notably former American boxing world champion Deontay Wilder, have expressed concern at seeing a nearly sixty-year-old lined up in a professional fight, saying they fear a serious injury.
Mike Tyson will turn 58 on June 30.