Ricky Hatton says ‘We CAN’T let Mike Tyson Fight at 53’

By Boxing News - 07/08/2020 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Ricky Hatton says the boxing authorities need to step in and keep the 53-year-old Mike Tyson from coming out of his 15-year retirement to resume his once successful career. The former two-division world champion ‘Hitman’ Hatton (45-3, 32 KOs) is afraid that Tyson could get hurt if he returns to the ring at his age.

Tyson is talking of wanting to fight exhibition boxing matches for charity, but he may look to do bigger things against elite heavyweights. The money that Tyson can make in a comeback is tempting.

There’s talk of Tyson being offered $20 million. That would be a considerable increase in Tyson’s net worth, which, according to Celebrity Net Worth, is $3 million.

Tyson had a vast fortune at one time, but he lost most of it over time. With the money Tyson can make with a comeback, he could do well in a short period.

The 42-year-old Hatton retired from boxing eight years ago at 34, and he’s not planning on coming back. Although Hatton could probably make a lot of money as well if he were to return to the ring, he’s not shown interest.

It’s unlikely that Mike Tyson will let Hatton persuade him not to return to the ring. Hatton retired too early after making a half-hearted effort in his comeback fight against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012. Ricky gave up on himself after losing to Manny Pacquiao in 2009, and he didn’t fight for three years after that loss.

Image: Ricky Hatton says 'We CAN'T let Mike Tyson Fight at 53'

Hatton doesn’t want to see Mike Tyson hurt

“I hope he’s taking the mickey with his talks about making a comeback,” said Hatton to The Daily Mail on Mike Tyson comeback talk. “For his age, he looks fantastic in that gym, but he’s still 50+, and I don’t want to see any of my heroes get hurt,” said Hatton.

Tyson recently turned 54 last June, and he’s been looking great in his workouts in hitting the mitts and the heavy bag. The hand speed and the power is still there for Tyson. He’s reportedly lost close to 70 pounds in dropping down from 289 to 220 lbs.

It’s been a long time since Tyson has been punched, and he’s way up there in age. Also, he smokes marijuana, and that could impact his stamina when he does return to the ring. It’s unclear how many years Tyson has been smoking.

It wouldn’t be a problem if Tyson knocks out his opponents in the first or second rounds, but he might not be able to do that. In Tyson’s last two professional fights against Kevin McBride and Danny Williams, those two guys soaked up punishment from him until he gassed out.

Once Tyson faded, McBride and Williams both knocked him out. Against Williams, Tyson was winded after three rounds and stopped in the fourth. In Tyson’s loss to McBride, he was fighting on fumes after four rounds and was knocked out in the fifth.

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Tyson needs to be saved from himself

“I hope I’m in the same shape as Tyson when I’m 53 but we’ve got to save Tyson from himself, or the boxing authorities have got to save him from himself,” Hatton continued.

“We can’t let Mike fight at 53, no matter how fantastic a shape he’s in. Let’s calm it down Mike, you know?” said Hatton.

Who is going to try and stop Tyson from returning to the ring? Boxing fans and athletes overwhelmingly want to see Tyson resume his career, even if it’s just for exhibition matches. The heavyweight scene is so weak right now, especially in America, that Tyson would be a breath of fresh air to the sport.

There isn’t anyone in the heavyweight division today that has Tyson’s explosive power and speed. Tyson Fury has no hand speed, and he uses his size to club his opponents into submission. IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is a skilled fighter, but he has a weak chin and reduced stamina.

America’s former heavyweight Deontay Wilder was recently knocked out by Fury, and his career is likely to be finished after he meets him for a trilogy match later this year. Mike Tyson recently gave Wilder some advice by telling him to “grow up” and get back in there. Tyson doesn’t like the way that Wilder seems to have lost his self-confidence since his defeat.