Mike Tyson may be the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of boxing, but following his loss to Jake Paul on Friday, his new world ranking is a far cry from his heyday.
‘The Bassest Man on the Planet’ returned to the ring for his first professional bout in 19 years on November 15, for a fight that had the world talking.
Around 72,000 fans flocked to the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to watch Tyson step back between the ropes at the age of 58 – with the hope that he would knockout a cocky YouTuber 31 years younger than him.
With an additional 60 million households tuning in on Netflix around the world, it’s safe to say that this was the most anticipated boxing match this century.
Sadly, Paul v. Tyson failed to live up to the hype.
After eight two-minute rounds, the action was slow and – let’s be honest – boring.
Paul was awarded the victory by unanimous judges’ decision – and he can now walk around for the rest of his life saying, “I beat Mike Tyson”.
Of course, Tyson’s fans have rallied to support him on social media — rightfully giving him the credit he deserves for bravely stepping back in the ring at 58 with his GOAT reputation on the line.
And, of course, many people were quick to point out that Paul wouldn’t have stood a chance if both men were in their prime.
That being said, following Tyson’s loss, the former WBA, WBC, and IBF world heavyweight champion received his new global ranking from BoxRec – the official record keeper for combat sports worldwide.
And – drumroll please – Tyson is now placed 309th in the world for heavyweight boxers
It may sound like a far cry from how so many of us remember him, but – let’s face it – it ain’t too bad for a 58-year-old man who had his first professional fight for 19 years.
Oh, as for Jake Paul, he is ranked 126.
Despite his lower ranking, just ahead of Terrell Jamal Woods — who has a record of 29-62— Tyson’s comeback has been nothing short of inspirational.
In fact, following his loss, Tyson took to X to reveal that he still feels like a winner considering he “almost died” earlier this year.
“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won,” Tyson wrote to his fans. “I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time.
“I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won. To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, Paul admitted to holding back in the later rounds and apologised for not KO-ing Tyson.
He said on his podcast: “Yeah, definitely, definitely a bit. I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want [to hurt him]. I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt somebody that didn’t need to be hurt.”
The fight’s financial success was also unprecedented, generating over $18 million at the gate, a new record for Texas and eclipsing previous benchmarks set by boxing greats like Canelo Alvarez.
The aftermath of the fight saw Paul also facing a new challenge as undisputed light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev teased a potential matchup on Instagram, asking, “@jakepaul what can you do in ring against the current undisputed champion? Just know that I’m always open to any suggestions.”
As the dust settles, Tyson’s new global ranking may have people questioning the impact the fight had on his legacy — but the incredible numbers this event pulled in still cements him as one of the most must-watch boxers in the game.
