Just before his fight with Jake Paul, Mike Tyson received a phone call from Turki Alalshikh, the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Despite only landing 18 punches in eight two-minute rounds, Tyson suffered a unanimous decision loss to the YouTuber-turned-boxer. Tyson was absent from the post-fight press conference, but his team did speak to the media. They revealed that Alalshikh, who has been instrumental in Saudi Arabia’s significant investment in boxing, had a chat with Tyson just before the fight.
“He got a phone call from a good friend of his and a big supporter, his excellency Turki Alalshikh, when he was in the locker room just before he went out,” Tyson’s team disclosed. “His excellency wished him the best and told him how proud of him he was and gave him a big pep talk.”
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Tyson’s performance during the fight was a far cry from his prime, prompting concerns from boxing stars like Terence Crawford. “I love Mike Tyson, but they giving him too much credit,” Crawford posted on social media after the event. “He looked like trash, to train that long and only throw 97 punches the whole fight is crazy. I’m just glad he didn’t get hurt out there.”
However, Tyson insisted he was “happy” with his performance. Speaking in the ring, Tyson said: “I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself. I’m not one of those guys that look to please the world. I’m just happy with what I can do.”
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson after their fight (
Netflix)
Tyson has left the door open for a sensational return to the ring, possibly against Logan Paul. “I don’t know,” he confessed when asked about competing again, adding, “It depends on the situation. Maybe I’ll fight his brother.”
However, Logan Paul, who is gravitating more towards WWE than boxing these days, doesn’t seem keen on the clash with the legendary boxer.
He downplayed the idea, saying, “I think he wants money, I don’t think he wants to fight me,” and expressing admiration for Tyson: “I f—— love Uncle Mike he’s just so… I mean, that was impressive, no? For a 58-year-old? He’s tough, proud of him, and weathered the storm against a young brute named Jake Paul. I think Jake let him live.”
