Mike Tyson has made a worrying admission about his fight with Jake Paul that has raised further questions over why the bout was allowed to go ahead.
Tyson, 58, made his professional boxing comeback last month against YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, 27, in a huge event in Arlington, Texas.
More than 60 million households tuned in to watch the fight on Netflix but it turned out to be a major disappointment, with former undisputed heavyweight champion Tyson nowhere near his ferocious best.
Tyson landed just 18 punches during the fight and was comprehensively beaten on points, with the three judges scoring the bout 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73 in Paul's favour.
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Speaking after the fight, Paul admitted he held off in the final rounds to avoid knocking out Tyson.
"I wanted to give the fans a show but I didn't want to hurt someone that didn't need to be hurt," said Paul.
Tyson has now made a shocking admission about the fight, claiming he can’t remember anything beyond the opening round.
In an interview with Fox Sports Radio, he said: "I don't remember the fight that much, I kind of blanked out a little."
On what he could remember from the bout, Tyson added: "I remember coming back from the first round and Jake is doing some kind of… I don't what he was doing [leans forward pretending to bow] and that's the last thing I remember."
Asked later on what he made of Paul's punch power, Tyson added: "I don't remember it.
"But my body was really sore [after the fight]. My chest, my stomach was really sore."
Tyson's fight with Paul was originally due to take place in July but was pushed back after the heavyweight great suffered an ulcer flare-up on a flight months before the event.
He played down concerns over his health in the build-up to the rearranged fight but later claimed he "almost died" after his health scare.
"This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I'm grateful for last night. No regrets to get in the ring one last time," he posted on X.
"I almost died in June. Had eight blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight, so I won.
"To have my children see me stand toe-to-toe and finish eight rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you."
While official figures are yet to be released, Paul claimed prior to the fight that he expected to make around $40 million (£31.5m) for facing Tyson.
Meanwhile, the former heavyweight legend is expected to have earned significantly less than his opponent, with a figure of $20m (£15.7m) reported ahead of the fight.
Topics: Boxing, Mike Tyson, Jake Paul
Rory O'Callaghan