Holyfield got badly exposed when he returned to the ring at nearly 60 years old…

Former two-weight world champion Evander Holyfield has sent a stern warning to Mike Tyson ahead of his upcoming clash with Jake Paul on July the 20th. ‘Iron Mike’ will be 58 years old by the time he steps into the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and his former foe Holyfield found out the hard way that returning to the sport at that age is no easy task.

‘The Real Deal’, who holds two victories over Tyson in world title fights, made an ill-advised comeback in 2021 when he took on UFC legend Vitor Belfort in a boxing match. Despite Holyfield holding the far superior resume on paper, ‘The Phenom’ toyed with the veteran heavyweight before landing some stiff punches on the Atlanta native.

Holyfield’s 2021 Loss, Aged 58, Should Act as a Warning to Tyson

The boxing legend was destroyed in less than two minutes

It was clear from shortly after the opening bell that Holyfield belonged nowhere near a boxing ring on that night. The skills that had once made him a decorated champion were a distant memory as Belfort picked off his opponent at will. Mercifully, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight after less than two minutes.

Asked what lessons he could offer Tyson from his own experience of boxing at 58, Holyfield told Fight Hub that the speed of the younger fighter would be something the heavyweight icon would need to watch out for.

“I don’t know how much confidence Jake Paul has, but he will be a lot quicker. If he stays close to Mike, then his chance of winning is going to be great. But if he tries to stay back from Mike, then he is going to get caught.”

After warning Tyson to avoid staying too close to ‘The Problem Child’, Holyfield then went on to offer some words of hope for the New York-born slugger.

“Mike is like a snake. He will pop out on you, but if you charge him, you can smother him because he pushes off his legs because he is too close. If you give him room, you are going to be messed up.”

Even though there will be a 31-year age gap between the two boxers when they step into the squared circle, the clash has still been sanctioned as a full professional bout, with knockouts allowed. This aspect of the fight is of grave concern to medical experts, who claim that Tyson is putting himself at great risk by fighting again.

World Boxing News spoke to Brain Injury Association Headway‘s Chief Executive Peter McCabe after Holyfield’s defeat to Belfort back in 2021. McCabe shared the following warning, which remains applicable to Tyson when he squares off with Paul.

“Boxing at any age is a hazardous sport. Boxing actively encourages participants to strike opponents’ heads. To incapacitate them by knocking them senseless. As we get older, our bodies take longer to heal. Our reactions get slower. Therefore, as a general rule, the older fighters are, the less able they will be to avoid or defend against punches.”

McCabe continued: “Furthermore, any impact they suffer could be exacerbated by the cumulative damage acquired from years of being hit in the ring in their younger days. Put simply, the more blows to the head you receive, the more likely you are to suffer a long-term injury.”