Evander Holyfield says Mike Tyson could quit in his upcoming fight with Jake Paul. Tyson has taken a massive risk by agreeing to fight Paul on July 20 in a pro fight. It has been scheduled as an eight-rounder, with the two wearing 14-ounce gloves. They will compete in two-minute rounds, with worries over the age gap. Tyson will be 58 when he enters the ring, while Paul is considerably younger at 28. Tyson’s last professional fight took place in 2005 when he retired hurt against Kevin McBride.

Tyson has boxed once since then, taking on Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition, but a pro fight is completely different. Holyfield understands what can happen when boxers make a comeback at a later stage of their career. Evander did the same when he faced Vitor Belfort in 2021 at the age of 58. The fight did not go to plan, as Holyfield’s reflexes and punch resistance were not the same, leading to heavy punishment in the first round and a stoppage by the referee.

Holyfield expressed some worries over how Tyson would look. “I don’t know, it all depends on how Jake fights. The point of the matter is whether Jake Paul takes a good shot. I have never seen him get hit by anybody. But you never know, Mike might just quit in the ring and sit down and say ‘I’m done,’” Holyfield said.

There are question marks over why the fight is going ahead. A win for Tyson does nothing for his legacy as a former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, and a loss only risks harming his health. The pressure is more on Paul to perform, as he has spoken about his desire to become a world champion and has also targeted a lucrative fight with Canelo Alvarez. Those goals can only happen if Paul comes through with a Tyson win. The two fighters have shut down suggestions that the fight will be scripted. Tyson is said to be earning $30 million for this fight, excluding any sponsorships.

To make matters more problematic, Tyson suffered a medical emergency on a flight on May 26. In Touch Weekly magazine states Tyson needed medical attention on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles. A witness noted that the flight was delayed for around two hours while Tyson received medical attention. Tyson’s team has downplayed worries over the boxer’s health, attributing the incident to an ulcer flare-up. “Thankfully, Mr. Tyson is doing great. He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare-up 30 minutes before landing. He is appreciative of the medical staff that were there to help him.”