Could Mike Tyson Still Be a Good Boxer at His Age Now?

Absolutely not for competitive boxing. Would I step in the ring with him? Absolutely not. It would be an insult to any boxer in the current Top 10 to think that a mid-50s Tyson, who hasn’t fought in 20 years, could compete or win at the highest level.

Mike Tyson's Legacy and Regrettable Decisions

Mike Tyson is a world-class champion. He came and took his title against any and all challengers. His manager was very protective of him and wanted to secure fights that would provide him with the best possible benefit instead of wasting his talent on challengers not worth his effort or someone who could destroy his potential. Tyson is a world-class fire, a force to be reckoned with, though at 54, he doesn't have the magnitude he once had. His body, like any person's body, is a machine that will eventually run down, but sometimes it builds a callus. I believe in the power of the mind and that even the heavyweight champion of the world can still be a contender with proper technique and experience.

Experience vs. Physical Strength

At 54, Mike Tyson is still very good. But a 54-year-old Tyson couldn't reasonably compete at the top level of today's boxing. Fifteen to seventeen years ago, his last two fights ended in KO and RTD defeats against individuals who would be considered nobodies. He could, however, still compete as a professional, fighting 4-6 rounders against moderate opposition and potentially making a fortune. Remember, it's not unheard of for a boxer at the age of 50 to be the heavyweight champion. He still has proper technique and punching power, and he will always have a good chance to land a knockout.

Physical and Mental Challenges

What counts against him is age. Mike is currently 54, and even if he could get in shape for an exhibition “fight” with RJJ, it's another matter to stay in that shape and continue to punish the body and heart with the intense training regimen that a world champion boxer in his 20s and 30s would do. It's a high-risk, cardiology-wise decision. Sure, there are exceptions in every sport, but in boxing, exactly like when Logan Paul showed that he could tie up and negate a better or harder puncher's ability, many bigger guys used to tie up Tyson to prolong the fight. At his age, the body doesn't recover as quickly, both during and after exercise. The risk of brain damage is also much higher for a heavyweight at 54 than at 24. It would be utterly foolish.

Mike will always be a danger in a sudden street fight or a sudden fit of rage, but thankfully, that's something he is mostly over now. On exhibition fights, he would likely hold back due to the need to protect himself and his opponents. Luckily for RJJ, the commission protected both of them from hard headshots, and Tyson held back on even some of those bodyshots. Roy FELT it. I have the utmost respect for sport people over 50, but their bodies simply don't recover as quickly to fit in the number of training sessions required compared to a young boxer who can train three times a day.

Mike Tyson is a legend and a force to be respected, but his time in the ring is undoubtedly behind him. He will always be a part of the lineage of great heavyweight boxers, but at 54, it's time to let him enjoy life and the respect he deserves outside the ring.