David Benavidez Says It’s Time for Mike Tyson to Retire for Good

Benavidez Urges Tyson to Hang It Up After Disappointing Comeback

David Benavidez, one of boxing’s top fighters, has made it clear that Mike Tyson should stay retired. Tyson, now 58 years old, returned to boxing for a much-talked-about fight with Jake Paul on November 15, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. With a massive 31-year age gap between the two, the fight raised plenty of eyebrows—and Benavidez is one of many who believe Tyson should hang up his gloves for good.

“I don’t want to see Mike Tyson fight no more,” Benavidez said during an interview in Downtown Los Angeles. Tyson’s comeback against Paul, a 27-year-old YouTube star turned boxer, had already raised questions. Tyson hadn’t fought in nearly 20 years, and many feared the fight was a disaster waiting to happen. As expected, Tyson struggled from the start. He came out fast but quickly gassed, absorbing too many punches from Paul. In fact, Tyson didn’t land a single punch in two full rounds, according to CompuBox data.

Benavidez Calls Tyson’s Health into Question

The fight wasn’t just a bad matchup—it was also a major health risk for Tyson. Earlier in the year, he had suffered an ulcer flare-up, which led to the fight being delayed. Many in the boxing world were concerned about Tyson’s health and whether he should even be fighting at his age. Despite all the controversy, the event still generated around $18 million in ticket sales and attracted a massive Netflix audience, with an average viewership of 108 million. However, Benavidez doesn’t think Tyson’s return should set a precedent for other aging fighters to make comebacks.

“I think it was a good turnout, but he needs to retire,” Benavidez said, clearly concerned about Tyson’s health and the dangers of fighting at an older age. Tyson, who famously gave Benavidez the nickname “The Mexican Monster” because of his aggressive fighting style, may have once been an inspiration to the younger boxer. But now, Benavidez sees Tyson as a cautionary tale—it’s time to step away from the sport.

With Benavidez preparing for his upcoming fight against David Morrell in February 2024, the future of boxing seems to belong to younger, more active fighters. Tyson, despite his legendary career, may need to accept that his time in the ring is officially over.