Mike Tyson’s latest training footage has supporters fearing the worst.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion returns to the ring against Jake Paul on November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, live on Netflix.
Tyson is back hitting the padsCredit: Instagram – Mike Tyson
They were initially scheduled to duke it out on July 20, however, the fight was pushed back four months after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up on a flight to Los Angeles in May.
His PR team insisted Tyson had made a full recovery, but further checks from the doctors deemed him medically unfit to compete this summer.
As a result, Mike Perry stepped in to replace Tyson on the original date and was subsequently knocked out in the sixth round, clearing the way for Paul to finally face ‘Iron Mike’.
Last month, Paul’s manager Nakisa Bidarian confirmed that Tyson had resumed his strength and conditioning work but hadn’t started boxing yet.
However, the boxing icon is now back punching again and has released a seven-second video of him smashing the pads on Instagram.
Reacting to the clip, fans expressed their concerns for Tyson as he gears up to box a man 31 years his junior.
One supporter wrote: “Jake knocking him out.”
Another commented: “It’s over for him. No chance Mike Tyson beats Jake Paul.”
A third posted: “Mike Tyson is going to sleep on the 15th of November.”
Meanwhile, somebody else added: “Mike Tyson on November 15th, Round 1, ‘Goodnight’.”
Paul vs Tyson is set to take place at the back end of this yearCredit: Getty
This comes after the 58-year-old received a ‘catastrophic’ health warning from world-renowned fitness expert and former Chelsea, Leeds United and England physio Dave Hancock.
“Looking from the outside, Mike Tyson’s comeback is purely money-driven,” he told OLBG.
“If someone’s gonna offer you, X to do Y, you can make a decision whether to do that or not at any age – so therefore your incentive is cash.
“Therefore you will be prepared to put your body on the line in those circumstances in that sport because you know the reward is the cash.
“But physically, as a medical person, I think it could be catastrophic. Especially at that age, because reflexes are reduced, his reaction time’s reduced, he’s not as fit as he used to be…
“There might be cardiothoracic issues, pulmonary issues, all sorts of issues that you’ve inherited as you’ve got older, lifestyle issues, you’re not living the same as what you were doing when you were training.
“But at the end of the day, money talks, going back to the same scenarios about footballers going on end-of-season trips and pre-season trips, it’s because there are huge amounts of money involved.
“It’s no different for an individual athlete that could get a payday for a one-off bout with a YouTuber.”
While Tyson breaks a sweat in the United States, Paul is out in Paris with the Team USA Olympic boxing team working as an honorary mental coach.
Between sightseeing with his girlfriend and his time with the Team USA boxers, he is also keeping himself ticking over as the Tyson fight edges closer.
Taking to Instagram last night, Paul sent a message to Tyson while he worked out on the treadmill.
“@miketyson I hope you’re working,” he wrote. “101 days brudda.”