“Someone’s Going to Die Before the Fight”: Not Wanting to Make Jokes at the Expense of Mike Tyson’s Medical Emergency, UFC Vet Makes His Case for Jake Paul Fight Cancellation

It’s not that the fight never had its share of detractors. When 58-year-old Mike Tyson takes on 27-year-old Jake Paul, it’s guaranteed to provoke strong reactions. The belligerents, though, never appeared perturbed. With two kick-off pressers already over, the clash scheduled for July 20 at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium stays on track.

However, a medical scare the former heavyweight champion experienced mid-flight has, to all appearances, raised a fresh round of questions concerning the match taking place. Monitoring the development closely, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, it seems, has joined ranks with those who believe the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight shouldn’t punch the clock. In a strongly worded opinion piece, the 2019 UFC Hall of Fame legend articulated strong objections to the bout.

“I don’t know anything about ulcers, but what I do know is that the man is going to be 58 years old,” said ‘The Count’. He was reviewing the statement given by the youngest heavyweight champion’s representative. “Thankfully, Mr. Tyson is doing great,” it said. Further, it read, “He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare-up 30 minutes before landing.” The statement shared that ‘Iron’ Mike was grateful to the medical team for looking after him.

Ideally, a man in his prime shouldn’t have any problem sitting on a hot and stuffy plane for a couple of hours, said Michael Bisping. However, the situation with Mike Tyson doesn’t bode well vis-à-vis the fight. He said, “The fact that he’s got an ulcer and he can’t sit on a plane for two hours and then the paramedics have to run on, take him off, probably in a stretcher, that’s not a good look. That is not a good look.”

The episode doesn’t sit well, especially given the ‘one of us has to die’ narrative Jake Paul has built. So, making it clear why the fight shouldn’t happen, ‘The Count’ concluded, “I’m not going to make any jokes at Mike Tyson’s expense. You know, I could say someone’s going to die before the fight. That’s bloody right! Mike Tyson absolute legend. But 58 years old right. This is just a great example of why a fight like this should not be going ahead. Mike Tyson is not the same person we know.”

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul Push Through, No Matter What

The arguments of Bisping and many others might face outright rejection. Supporters of the fight may insist that it’s a great match in the making. A clash between a bona fide boxing great and a crossover boxing star. It’s a great crowd-puller that could as well be a big payday for both participants.

Jake Paul insists that the match is very much on. In what appears to be a deleted post, he said, “Nothing changed. Don’t listen to every Twitter news article. Me and Mike are fighting July 20th. Everyone is trying to do everything they can to hurt this fight and attack me. You should know about that.” On X/Twitter, he replied back to a feed that featured the old photo of Mike Tyson using a wheelchair at the Miami Airport. He said, “You love to make sh*t up before knowing the facts for clicks / likes. Nothing changed.” 

Assuring fans that he is fine, even Mike Tyson posted a message yesterday. He said, “Now feeling 100%, even though I don’t need to be to beat Jake Paul.” No doubt, the Tyson-Paul fight is a full package, offering excitement and intrigue. However, in the back of most fans’ minds, a lingering concern will remain. No one wants any harm to befall the beloved ‘Iron’ Mike.

What’s your take on Michael Bisping’s rationale? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.