In the lead-up to the Jake Paul fight, Mike Tyson‘s mid-air medical scare had everyone on the spot. No one would want to see anything happen to the much-loved boxing great. The ulcer flare-up led to the much-anticipated ring return being postponed to a later date in November. The former heavyweight champion had already had a history of dealing with back-related issues.

In a recent interview, Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, updated Ariel Helwani on Mike Tyson’s recovery. He shared that, though not boxing training, ‘Iron’ Mike has resumed his strength and body conditioning regimen. But the entire episode seems to have brought into the fore the former heavyweight champion’s medical history. Years spent in the sport, along with the multitude of issues he faced both within and without the ring, seemingly took a toll on his well-being. Speaking with Brut, he shared how staying in the limelight often comes at a price, not always physical.

Mental health under the microscope: Insights from Mike Tyson

In a one-on-one interview, Mike Tyson revealed that fame often has a detrimental effect on one’s mental health. According to him, being popular and famous sometimes leads to abnormal situations. Anywhere he goes, there’s always the issue of fans and followers constantly chasing and recognizing him.

One outcome of this endless public scrutiny is that it tends to make the person behave in a bizarre way. “You might want to kill yourself,” he said, adding further, “(You) might want to kill other people, might want to drink, might want to smoke, might want to do drugs, escape it.” Why? He explained that it all boils down to the fact that the person is not going through a normal situation.

Mike Tyson shared that it took him years to get used to the predicament. When the reporter asked when he actually got ‘used to it’, Mike Tyson replied, “Well, sometimes you think this is going to be cool, and it’s not. You know, at first, like, yeah, I’m the big shot who, hey, this stuff got to stop. Hey, I want to live my life…I want to hang out… then it gets like a little. Hey, this is not cool. And it comes a time. I know every entertainer that’s the biggest in the world say Hey, stop, but it can’t stop; you can’t stop it.”

Apart from the physical issues, Mike Tyson went through numerous mental health challenges. His troubled personal life, coupled with reports of experience with banned substances, only added to the mess he was going through.

The Jake Paul fight, scrutiny lingers

Concerns existed right from the time when the announcement for the Jake Paul fight came. The glaring age gap between ‘The Problem Child’ and ‘Iron’ Mike led to several voices denouncing the fight. With only a few weeks left for the July 20 fight, news came in that Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles. Subsequently, in his statement, Tyson told Jake Paul, “Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end, you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good.”

News of his return to the recovery route elated millions of fans. Nevertheless, concerns still remain over whether the fight will take place even in November.

What’s your take on Mike Tyson’s key observation on the fifteen minutes of fame?