Photo of Mike Tyson: Wikipedia CC BY 2.0

Photo of Jake Paul: Erik Drost
Usage: Wikipedia CC BY 2.0

Story by: Gail Nobles

You know, it’s funny how people react when they see two fighters step into the ring, one a seasoned old lion and the other a brash young cub. Like some folks are squawking about how a 58-year-old Mike Tyson should never have been allowed to face off against a 27-year-old Jake Paul. Well, let me tell you, it seems to me that if Mike Tyson wants to lace up the gloves and step into the ring, who are we to rain on his parade?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I understand the concerns. Tyson has had his share of ups and downs, both in and out of the ring. But here’s a guy who’s been punching since before many of us could even tie our shoes. A former heavyweight champion, a man who once struck fear into the hearts of opponents. Is he past his prime? Sure, but have we ever met a fighter who really retires? They say you can’t take the fight out of the man, and in Tyson’s case, the spirit is still alive and well.

Sure, the naysayers will point to his age and say it was irresponsible for the fight to even happen. They cluck like chickens about him getting hurt or embarrassed. What they don’t seem to get is that Tyson is an able-bodied man making his own choices. He wanted to fight, and he did. End of story. It’s a bit like telling an artist they shouldn’t paint anymore because they’ve been doing it for decades. If the brush is still in hand, let them create.

Now, Tyson did end up losing the match against Jake Paul, and I can hear the chorus of critics already. “It was a terrible thing for Mike Tyson to fight,” they say. But who measures what’s terrible? If Tyson looked in the mirror, saw a fighter staring back, and thought he could go for it, then he should have the right to do so. It’s not like he was dragged to the ring against his will. He signed up for it. He trained. He stepped into that squared circle and took his chances.

In the end, isn’t that what sport is all about? Taking risks, rolling the dice, and letting life unfold. So maybe Tyson lost, but in the grand scheme of life, it was his fight to have—literally and figuratively. And you know what? For that, we ought to give the man a little credit for still having that fire in his belly at 58. Just because he lost doesn’t mean he didn’t win in other ways—like showing that the spirit of a fighter never really retires.

Thank you for listening to EPS. I'm your host Gail Nobles.