Boxing legend Lennox Lewis has come to the defense of his former rival Mike Tyson after his long-awaited return to the ring last month against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Tyson, who retired from professional boxing nearly two decades ago, made a dramatic return to face Paul in Texas, but despite the hype, the 58-year-old couldn’t pull off the victory. The bout ended in a unanimous decision win for Paul, with Tyson struggling to rekindle the magic that once made him one of the sport’s fiercest champions.
Lennox Lewis Weighs in on Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
Many were quick to criticize the fight, with some even questioning Tyson’s decision to step back into the ring at his age. However, Lennox Lewis, who famously defeated Tyson in 2002, took a more measured stance on the spectacle. While the Brit was sympathetic to Tyson’s efforts, he acknowledged that the former champ was unable to roll back the years in a way fans might have hoped for.
“To me you’re talking about different events – you’re talking about an event for fans of (Mike) Tyson, to actually see him back in the ring, and fans of YouTuber, to see him in the ring with Tyson,” said Lewis. “At the end of the day you’ve got a big event that a lot of people were happy to attend, and they felt OK. The boxing purist didn’t feel OK, they didn’t feel it was the right thing to do. They were two different events.”
Despite the widespread attention surrounding the fight, Lewis pointed out that it doesn’t diminish the prestige of the upcoming heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
“That type of boxing doesn’t tarnish great boxing such as Usyk and Fury, because you’ve got two different types of eras and things going on. You’ve got entertainment and you’ve got real good fighting with drama.”
As the boxing world shifts focus to this monumental showdown, Lennox Lewis’s comments serve as a reminder that while Tyson’s comeback may not have lived up to expectations, the sport’s true heavyweight stars are still capable of delivering legendary battles. Fans are now eagerly awaiting the collision of Fury and Usyk, where the stakes are higher than ever, and the winner will undoubtedly claim the title of undisputed heavyweight champion.
With the spotlight now on the heavyweight giants, Lewis’s words have sparked more anticipation, proving that while Tyson’s return was an exciting spectacle, the future of boxing lies in the hands of its best fighters
H/t The Mirror
