‘Thankfully Mr. Tyson is doing great,’ the boxer’s representatives said Monday in a statement shared through his publicist, Joann Mignano. ‘He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare-up 30 minutes before landing. He is appreciative to the medical staff that were there to help him.’
Tyson’s representatives also dismissed ‘false reporting’ that the flight had been delayed because of his medical situation, saying instead that a two-hour delay prior to takeoff was ‘due to an air conditioning issue on the aircraft.’ The incident took place on a cross-country flight Sunday to Los Angeles.
Tyson, who turns 58 at the end of next month, will face Jake Paul in a boxing match in Arlington, Texas, on July 20. The fight will be streamed live on Netflix at no additional cost for subscribers. The pair completed a promotional tour for the fight – alongside undercard fighters Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano – first in New York and then at AT&T Stadium, the venue for the match.
During the press conference May 13 in New York, Tyson said he was ‘doing great’ but added that his ‘body is (expletive) right now’ and he was ‘really sore’ from the initial stages of his training. The fight against Paul, who is 27, will be conducted in eight two-minute rounds.
It is unclear whether Tyson’s medical condition that affected him during the flight would disrupt his availability for the match against Paul.
Tyson last fought in a sanctioned match on June 11, 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride by technical knockout. Tyson most recently fought in November 2020 in an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr.