Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, 58, is days away from his professional return to the boxing ring against YouTube star Jake Paul. In the meantime, Tyson’s former trainer, who trained him for the first four years of his career, Teddy Atlas, has brushed off any health concerns Tyson may face during the fight on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ faced a serious health scare in May while flying from Miami to Los Angeles, leading to an ulcer flare-up that forced the postponement of his originally scheduled fight on July 20th. The new date was set for November 15th as Tyson focused on recovery and got back in training. 

Despite the concerns raised by fans, Tyson has since assured the public that he is in excellent health and ready to knock out Paul. However, a majority of the fan base remains unconvinced whether Tyson should step in the ring at his age and with his history with Sciatica. Some time ago, he was seen walking with a cane, and on another occasion, he was wheeled out of an airport in a wheelchair, fueling concerns about his health.

Regardless, Tyson’s former trainer feels there’s nothing to be worried about. “No, obviously he’s okay. And that’s good. That’s his choice, his family’s choice,” Atlas told Pro Boxing Fans in a recent interview referring to Tyson’s medical emergency. “He knows if he can come back. Obviously, it’s something he overcame physically. [It] wasn’t that serious.”

Despite his belief in Tyson’s return to the ring, Atlas acknowledged that a normal 58-year-old should not even get near a boxing ring. However, he quickly pointed out, “It’s not a normal professional fight. The circumstances are a little different.” Notably, the rules set forth by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations for the fight are a little different. 

The bout will feature eight-two-minute rounds and both boxers will wear 14-ounce gloves. This also seems to have given the legendary boxing trainer some confidence in Tyson’s abilities, especially in the early rounds. “I’ll tell you one thing, early on Jake better be alert the first couple rounds because one thing that a former great fighter like Tyson could do is still punch,” Atlas said predicting the fight. 

“The power is the last thing to leave you. If Jake gets killed early on… [That is] if it’s [a] real [fight], if there’s not an agreement in place, I don’t know,” Atlas told Pro Boxing Fans. While Atlas gave a favorable take on Tyson’s health and prediction for the fight, everyone didn’t feel that way. 

Boxer is uncertain whether Mike Tyson can handle Jake Paul 

London, United Kingdom’s Denzel Bentley is unconvinced Tyson’s body can handle the punishment in the upcoming fight against Jake Paul. While appearing in the latest episode of talkBOXING, Bentley was asked about the fight by host Simon Jordan. “It’s not the Mike Tyson that we know,” the 29-year-old responded. “We saw him make a comeback against Roy Jones Jr [in 2020, which ended in a draw] and he couldn’t hurt him, so what makes you think he will hurt Jake Paul?” Bentley added that all Tyson will do with the upcoming bout is “damage his record and legacy,” noting that he won’t be watching the fight. 

Further elaborating, Bentley highlighted that Tyson consumes a lot of ma****ana, claiming “he is going to try but it won’t be enough.” However, his biggest concern was that Tyson hadn’t seen action or his chin hadn’t been tested in some time, so he questioned “Can his heart hold up to that?” Summing up, the 29-year-old shared his prediction, stating, “All I’m saying is if I was 60 I wouldn’t want to train this hard. I think Jake Paul will win.”

That said, despite repeated assurances from Mike Tyson and others, the boxing world remains divided on whether the Friday night fight is a good idea. While there are several risks involved, the fight seems to be on track to happen. What are your predictions for the fight? Do you agree with Atlas or Bentley?