Midnight Mania: ‘I Want To Die In The Ring’

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

There are legitimate concerns to be had about the upcoming Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul super fight.

“Iron” Mike is an all-time boxing legend, but he’s also a 58-year-old man who looked washed in the ring two decades ago. There’s a reason Tyson retired from professional competition! His body is worn down, and he already suffered a serious health issue once that derailed the initial summer scheduling. Despite the quick mitts clips and brief sparring footage that circulates social media, it’s difficult to know what kind of shape Tyson will enter the ring in … or how he’ll leave it.

Ahead of their fight, which will air live on Netflix on Nov. 15 from Arlington, Texas, Tyson is leaning into the safety concern angle. In the new trailer for the upcoming Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson series, Tyson makes a shocking statement about just how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of boxing greatness.

“If I win, I’ll be immortal,” Tyson says near the end of the promo (H/T Curtis Calhoun). “I don’t want to die in a hospital bed. I want to die in the ring.”

The first episodes of the Countdown series will release on November 7. Per the description, “Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson captures inside footage from the fighters’ training camps, giving viewers a close-up look at the grit, determination and physical demands of preparing for the can’t miss boxing mega-event.”

Hopefully, it doesn’t also serve as a memorialization.

Insomnia

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