It’s Time To Tour Mike Tyson’s Mansion That Sat Abandoned For 22 Years

By Olajide O

Talk about a total transformation and conversion. If you love sports or celebrities and their spending is a source of fascination, this one will interest you. What used to be home to one of the most fearsome fighters in boxing history is now home to the Living World Sanctuary Church in Ohio. The building is quite a marvel of huge proportions. It gives us a clear insight into just how successful Mike Tyson was before he experienced a decline in his career and ultimately, his finances. Mike Tyson was put in a tight corner as he had to sell the building due to financial constraints. He no longer had the funds to keep the house running much less be able to hold on to it as he was bound by controversy left and right.

Mike Tyson: Origins

Ever wondered why Tyson resorted to living above his means? Born in 1966, Mike Tyson carries the last name of his mother Lorna Tyson after his father Jimmy Kirkpatrick absconded. He became fatherless at the age of 2 and his mother struggled to take care of the three children she was left with.

La vie complètement dingue de Mike Tyson résumée en 23 photos
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They were so poor that they could only live in the slums where the crime rate was pretty high. He was first a victim of bullies before he developed the courage to start defending himself. This heralds the beginning of a life of street fighting. He became fearsome and also prone to trouble and teetering at the edge of real crimes.

Of humble beginnings

He grew up in a small brownstone apartment in Brooklyn in the mid-1970s. This was where he spent most of his childhood. Like the regular complexes of those times, it was a pretty dangerous neighborhood where crime was rampant. Let us not go into how hard it was living there.

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In one of his books, he shared how he got involved with the gangs in a bid to find somewhere to fit in. The standard of living was pretty low and most families in the area were poor. He wasn’t presented with many options. He had a great love for pigeons while he was young. He would grow to love tigers later in life, as we will see.

Trouble maker

Already at age 13, Tyson was wearing the undesirable cloak of a teenager who couldn’t stay out of trouble. He got arrested so often that he was sent to a reform school. There, he experienced a bit of mixed fortune but the highlight would be the eventual meeting between Tyson and Bob Stewart. Tyson learned how to box from the then amateur boxing champion who taught him pretty much everything he knew about boxing.

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The lessons would come at a price though. Tyson had to promise to turn a new leaf, go to school, study hard and the petty crimes had to stop. Stewart would also introduce Tyson to his future mentor, Constantine D’Amato. Constantine became his guardian and would go on to sponsor his rise to fame as he became the world’s heavyweight champion at just 20 years of age. He broke a long-standing championship record in the process.

The rise of Iron Mike

Before winning his first championship belt on November 22nd in 1986, he took part in 27 bouts with different boxers. He won 26 of those by knockout and this set him to challenge the then champion, Trevor Berbick. If Trevor knew what would happen that day, he wouldn’t have gotten out of bed. Twenty-year-old Mike Tyson was just too hot to handle.

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It was a pretty short bout, lasting just about 5 minutes and a few seconds across two rounds. Tyson shot a fist so fast that it got Berbick knocked out cold on his butt. This was the birth of a star and who would be one of the best fighters in boxing history.

A leopard never truly changes its spots

As fame rolled in as well as the money, Tyson seemed to have forgotten the vow he made to be well behaved. He would end up as a convict this time around but without the pleasure of going to a reformation center. He landed in jail for three years between 1992-1995. This took him out of the boxing spotlight for those three years. Who knows? If he didn’t go to jail, had behaved, he might have maintained himself at the top for a longer period.

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He got out of jail facing an uphill battle to regain his place among the boxing elite. What was touted to be a strong comeback turned sour when he bit off a part of Evander Holyfield’s ear in a rematch in 1997. That was the start of a steady heavy decline for Tyson’s boxing career.

Failed again

He had gotten disqualified for taking a bite at Holyfield’s ear like it was a slice of pizza and that wasn’t the end. He would suffer one humiliating defeat after another. He lost the license to fight in the ring but he still savored a return to the spotlight. He tried all he could to redeem himself but he would fail woefully.

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It would seem that his knack for getting in trouble would kick in again as he was arrested for getting in a fight with a motorist for hitting his car. He went to jail for that once again. Wherever he went, controversy followed. This happened in 1999 when he was aiming for a shot at restoring his career.

Who owned the mansion before Tyson?

Oh, you thought, Mike Tyson built the home from the scratch? Think again! Picture his extravagant lifestyle back then. He had little time to commit to oversee building a home like that. He wasn’t the first to live there. The mansion seems to have a bad rap in terms of individual homeowners. It was constructed in 1979 by Ted Vannelli who was a politician. He had to sell the mansion after he was staring down the barrel of corruption charges of which he was guilty.

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When did Tyson buy the home? He bought the house in 1989, and he took it to a whole new level of glory while it was his. The house might have been bought with a hint of propaganda as it has been stated that the home was conveniently located close to the home of a boxing promoter. We all know that Tyson was trying to make a recovery in his career after having spent about 3 years in prison.

The old look

According to sources, the Ohio mansion once held about five big bedrooms and a massive pool as well as a jacuzzi. This gives us the image of one big party house. Mike Tyson was known to be frivolous and he sure partied a lot. Even as his career and money dwindled, his party life never ceased.

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We assume that most of the parties that he held while in the US were held in this beautiful mansion. The home was also renowned for having tiger cages. This was characteristic of Tyson as he was a fan of the big cats and he spent a fortune taking care of them. It was such a pity he had to sell the house decked with splendor for a loss.

Still a pretty huge place

The church that now owns the place has transformed the places of interest such as the pool and tiger cages. Before the church occupied the space, it was empty for over two decades. It still maintains a pretty luxurious exterior even though it had been overgrown with bushes. If you ever visited the mansion, you got a first-hand feel of the sort of lavish lifestyle that Mike Tyson must have been living back then.

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With concerted efforts, the mansion has been turned around and some of its old features transformed into something church-worthy. For instance, the pool is now more of a baptistry and the tiger cage space has now been turned into a pavilion. Our sources reveal that some parts of the mansion are still vacant. It makes you wonder just how large this house is.

Old but not out

From what we gathered, Mile Tyson already owned the mansion before his rape scandal in 1992, before selling it for around $1.2 million in 1999. If such property had been maintained up until now, we estimate that the mansion would go for at least $5 million now if its environment was a hot enough prospect. The house had everything.

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One of the remnants parts of the house that was preserved was the basketball court. The court might require a bit more renovation but it sure can entertain the kids that are part of the church community. The house now has a mini waterfall where the fireplace used to be. Its large garage has now become a series of classrooms and a nursery for kids.

Gateway to grandeur

We’d very much like to go back in time to get a look at how the mansion originally looked. Some of the images that remain show us an enormous beautiful gate fitted with gold plates that had the name Tyson on it. The door to the main building is a work of art on its own. It is a well-crafted wooden double door that shows the level of care that was put into designing it.


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Stepping across this threshold, you’d get a good view of the room as you step onto the marble floor. You can imagine walking across the same floors that the biggest personalities at the time did when they came for unending parties. Pretty A-list stuff. The home still retains some of its impressive features that made it a home for the enigmatic boxer even if it seems a little rundown.

Far from its best

One of the most important characteristics of the mansion that has been lost is that if the marble interior design. A beauty to behold at any time of the day, the design has lost its imperious appearance. The floor was also designed to reflect his love for tigers.


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The house was home to four tigers, hence the four tall tiger gates which he constructed in a special room. The cost of maintenance must have cost a fortune as well. Luxury sure doesn’t come cheap and this was probably the peak of it back in the day. Mike Tyson outdid himself with this one.

Where does Mike Tyson live currently?

Mike Tyson must have endured a crazy time that pushed his finances down the drain. But he still isn’t a poor man at this time. Recently, we were dazzled with amazing pictures of his current home in Nevada, Las Vegas. His lifestyle is still a pretty luxurious one.


Credits: Luxury Homes of Las Vegas

He and his family now reside in a beautiful mansion in Las Vegas that is in a class of its own. This house is huge and holds the look of a contemporary palace design with a courtyard and a large pool. The horticultural is also magnificent. It was reported that the house was purchased for about $2.5 million.

Home Sweet Home

Having found his footing, he has appeared back on stage albeit under a different occupation. His story has entered a new chapter and he owns a vast cannabis empire. Tyson is experiencing a comeback in his own way and into the hearts of his fans. He is back to the gym and after a hard day’s training, he enjoys luxurious life in his new home.

Credit: Luxury Homes of Las Vegas

The home is a mansion with six bedrooms. The 8,149 square-foot building is located in Henderson, Nevada with lots of space both indoors and outside. The community is a delightful neighborhood called the Seven Hills. If you ever get to visit, take time to visit the private golf club and leisure parks in the area. It sure is a place for the wealthy and sure enough, Mike Tyson fits in perfectly.

Home of Luxury

We can’t really compare the old mansion with the new one given the huge gulf in time. The new one is a drool-worthy one. However, one thing is consistent in both mansions, the exhaustive use of marble. The Las Vegas mansion leaves no expense spared with the look of quality marble being the highlight of the expensive floor. The master bedroom appears to be an upgrade on the mansion in Ohio with the exception of the reflective ceiling.


Credits: Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Once again, Mike Tyson went for premium comfort. The building has a master suite with a bathtub and fireplace to go with it. The bedroom has a private balcony from which you can get a good view of the surroundings. The cool breeze in the night air makes it a good place to meditate and relax with a glass of wine in hand.

Kingdom

This is the most distinguishing element between Tyson’s lifestyle then and now. The home has a resort-like pool and a spa where the family can take a load off. The weather around the home tends to get a bit chilled in the evening as it is a regular desert climate.

Credits: Luxury Homes of Las Vegas

This indicates that the party lifestyle he knew in the past has slowed down a bit, and Tyson is more interested in relaxing and centering himself. We imagine he has learned a lot from his journey and spends quite a bit of time reflecting.

Rating Tyson’s Las Vegas home

The Ohio Mansion wasn’t the only home that Mike Tyson had to sell to avoid getting bankrupt. He also owned a 52-room mansion in Connecticut which he later sold to rapper 50 Cent at about $4.5 million. 50 cent was then reportedly forced to sell because the running cost of the home was about $50,000 per month.

Credit: Douglas Elliman Real Estate

In his new Las Vegas home, his lifestyle is simpler. He has settled for a quiet life as a family man. He is raising his children away from the glare and shine of celebrity life. The home’s environment is serene and it has been rated as one of the safest by the FBI. The area is sort of a nest for celebrities to step out of the spotlight.

Mike Tyson’s net worth

When you take a candid look at the luxury lifestyle that Mike Tyson is still maintaining, it makes you wonder just how much Mike Tyson is still worth. According to Sportskeeda, he has an approximated net worth of about $10 million. Apparently, his cameo appearances in movies and other spotlight events have earned him quite the income.

He has also featured in multiple ads for several high-profile companies selling products such as CopaGel, Smart cups, etc. His podcast as well as his 2020 bout with Roy Jones Jr. has contributed to his net worth as well. He has also appeared on WWE’s Wrestlemania XIV which earned him about $3.5 million. Maybe his net worth would be higher than what it is currently if he had proper management when he was at the peak of his career.

Entry into fame

One of the highlights of this mansion is its entranceway which has been maintained by the Living World Sanctuary Church. Mike Tyson sure likes to make an impression, especially with the well-carved wooden door that opened into the hallway. It remains one of the best features of the home. A good place to start a tour of the grand building.


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You can’t help but be in awe of the beauty of it. Even though it was built in the 20th century, it is indeed a work of art that can last for ages under proper maintenance. That would have been a delight to Tyson and our imagination runs wild at how that home could have become a permanent residence for the famous boxer.

Tiger’s den

Tyson was a well-known lover of tigers. His mansion was reported to hold about 4 tiger cages which meant that he probably had 4 tigers before the sale of the house. He was particularly interested in endangered species. He was known to have owned Bengal white tigers which are nearly extinct.

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The most popular of his Tigers were named Kenya. He took care of the tiger as a pet for over 16 years before he had to sell it. Tyson had tiger footprints imprinted on the mansion’s carpets. Such was his love for these creatures that it was sort of acted out in a comic movie. The mansion was a luxurious home for a luxury pet owned by a man who could afford that degree of flamboyance.

Once a party house

You can bet that the home was a great place for Tyson to cool off after business. It was decked with what you would normally find in a luxurious vacation home. Imagine that period in the future where you have achieved all that you want to and you have built wealth. All you would want to do is to live like a king in this mansion.


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You can imagine that such a house would be without one of the earth’s most precious metals. We see images of parts of the home with gold fittings such as the bathroom, the toilet, etc. Tyson had a beautiful bathroom with great artistic design and a great view of the outside through panoramic windows.

A touch of pleasure

You could sit down in the jacuzzi and enjoy your time relaxing. The jacuzzi was not typical, by the way. It was spacious and made of black marble and doubled as a spa. All that’s left of it are what vandals and scavengers have left but it still says a lot about what this part of the house used to be.


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The marbled with the touch of gold was exquisite, especially in the jacuzzi. The roof of the jacuzzi spot also has a domed mirrored ceiling, making it a pretty cool place to relax and meditate while staring at the beautiful ceiling gazing at your beautiful self basking in splendor.

Private affairs

The bedroom is another luxurious area where we see Tyson put in quite the effort to make it extraordinary. The mansion has a private master bedroom with so much space that could fit in several people. It sure seemed like a great place to party hard.


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It also possesses high mirrored ceilings which contribute to its luxurious effects. There is no evidence of the room ever having any work of art nor does it hold furniture but its aesthetic effects are sure to inspire some imagination in you.

Restoration to glory

It is easy to imagine how appealing the original appearance of the mansion was. We can also keep talking about just how much had been expended to make it such a classic mansion. It was abandoned after a while and it needed a facelift following lack of occupancy for so long.


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What brings the mansion back into focus is the fact that a church has acquired it. How much did they pay? Nothing. It was a donation. They might not have paid for the mansion but they sure paid for renovation which was necessary due to the dismal state of the house.

New hosts at work

The lead pastor of the church, Pastor Nicholas DeJacimo, and the congregation have turned the home around in some ways to make it a fitting place for worship. The mansion would no longer be known for the significance it used to hold, that is, a literal den.

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The work being done is quite comprehensive with the church enrolling the help of volunteers and workers to see the work through. The environment had to be rid of weeds, the exterior repainted and the basketball court has been turned into a place for the church’s youth.

Slow and steady: the work continues

The pool which had its own space in the mansion has been cleansed and it could be turned around into a baptistry. The church has also turned the general meeting place which was once a major party spot in the house into a sanctuary for their services.


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The stage is set and there are plans to perfect the auditorium with an altar, pews, and pulpit where ministers can sit and preach. One of the places that may also be preserved is the fireplace. The church turned it into a scenic waterfall for aesthetic effects.

Growing a young community

The church has made radical changes to some other aspects of the mansion. For instance, the entire second floor has been set aside to hold a conference room for meetings. It will also have office spaces as well as a gym for health and fitness purposes.

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There was a garage within the house that could hold about four vehicles. It is easy to imagine that Tyson used to keep a fleet of fancy cars in this place. What is it look going to look like according to the new owners? The church has plans to turn it into a nursery for kids as well as study rooms.

The grand plan for the master bedroom

The bedroom might have been used for less than sanctimonious purposes due to the word around the mill about the numerous parties that were held in this room. But that is going to change as the church aims to turn it into the preparatory room for brides.

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As is customary during weddings, the bride is to stay in a waiting room before being walked down the aisle. It will be used as a sitting area, a dressing room, as well as a closet for keeping wedding gowns. The formerly exclusive suite will now witness all shades of joy for new couples taking a new step in their lives. Talk about greater purpose discovery!

The first purchase

The mansion has had to do through a lot of downgrading which would have been avoided if things stayed right with Tyson. He didn’t have enough left to maintain his extravagant lifestyle and controversy also would not stop following him.

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He had to sell the mansion at quite the bargain. How? People believe that the house was worth way more than what the successor paid, all things considered. It appears that Paul Monea got lucky when he only had to pay $1.2 million!

The struggles of Paul Monea

Paul Monea was nonetheless successful given the fact that he could cough up that amount of money for the mansion. $1 million was a lot in the 90s. He made his fortune selling as a marketer for various fitness programs. The opportunity to buy Tyson’s Ohio mansion at that price must have seemed like a good bargain for the businessman.

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He too was caught up in some shady dealings and was always under the scope of the law. Just when you thought the mansion has found itself another wealthy and worthy owner, it would soon be on the market. Paul Monea got a jail sentence of about 13 years for the crime of money laundering.

Who is the new buyer?

Since the mansion was up for another emergency sale, it sort of depreciated in market value. Eleven years after Mike Tyson sold it, it would change hands once again in 2010. Ron Hemelgarn was now the proud owner of the mansion. He bought it for a lot less than what Monea paid to Tyson. Ron paid $600,000 which means it had depreciated by at least $400,000.

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How did the church now get it? Ron donated it to the church to keep the account books balanced. It was given to the church as part of a tax write off and the organization only had to pay about $50,000. That’s as good as saying that the mansion went for as low as $50,000 in a resale. It also makes for a luxurious place for the church compared to the local YMCA environment where the church was coming from. That is a huge upgrade even though the place hadn’t been maintained for over ten years.

Still relevant

Although the home has become transformed into a place of worship, there might be some parts of it that will never change. For instance, the section that is just above the fireplace which used to hold some of Tyson’s medals has been deemed a significant space.

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We think it is cool that they want to keep an aspect of the home that made it extraordinary. It might be missing some of its more excessive parts, such as the tiger cages, but this spot still speaks more of Tyson’s personality as a legend than any other thing in the house.

A new beginning

After a long hiatus, the home was in a state of disrepair and a very dark shadow of its former self. The church has come a long way to refine its outlook and it sure hasn’t been easy. They have committed a lot of resources as well as donations in cash and labor from various helping hands.


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The mansion was recommissioned late December in 2018. It is now without all the flair and pageantry of VIP parties and events that used to be the experience there. An invitation was extended to Mile Tyson. because he had become a Muslim while he was in prison, we are not so sure if he accepted the invitation.

A happy ending for both parties

It is hard to not sympathize with Mike Tyson over the misfortune that befell him over his conviction and financial trouble. We wish him all the best and he remains an icon in our hearts. His new mansion is an epic example of how far he has come since his glory days.

Credit: Luxury Homes of Las Vegas

The positives are that the church has a much better place to call home and have committed to improving their community. Tyson, now retired, is a homeowner in a fun city. That shows that the champion still has a lot of money to flaunt despite what has happened In the past. He has appeared in several TV shows and it is nice to still see him show up to tell his story.

The New Tyson

Things haven’t been easy for Mike Tyson. He has tried to make up for his past of crime and maybe a little bit of substance abuse. He has shown an impressive turnaround in his life and business. He no longer fights but he’s still very much involved in the sporting world.

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He is giving back to the community in his way by motivating youths. He has authored some books and once hosted a one-man event in Las Vegas which hit Broadway. We think that this is a good way for him to remain relevant even though he is no longer the superstar he used to be.

The Mike Tyson Cares Foundation

Most of his community contributions are championed by his charity organization. The organization aims to offer children the opportunities and resources they need to excel in what they want to do. It is understandable why this project means a lot to Tyson given his rough beginnings.

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What do we see? The perfect role model. He now provides sponsorship for children who are victims of broken homes. They will enjoy the opportunities, the likes of which he never had growing up, to build a good life for themselves. These kids will benefit from him as a mentor as well as enjoy the benefits of shelter and healthcare.

Why the Church needed a new place

The renovation of the mansion was overseen by the lead pastor of the church, Nick DeJacimo. For him, it was an exciting project to bring life into what seemed like a gem of a building that was up for grabs. He and other members of the church put in considerable efforts to make it a home fit for the church community.

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Coming from the YMCA, the church was occupying a not-too-comfy space that could barely contain their growing congregation. They needed a bigger place and the mansion donation was a blessing to the community. They have made it their home and we predict it will be for a long time.

A new site

When the church first obtained the keys to the mansion back in 2015, the population of the church was about 140 members. The land occupies over 60-acres of land and it was overgrown with weed and grasses. That was where the real work started. Clearing the environment before internal renovations started.

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The new look makes it worthy of the community’s efforts to revitalize the place. Despite having acquired the place at a cutthroat price in form of management fees, estimating the amount of labor and expense incurred in turning it into the sanctuary that it is at this time would be immense.

A thankful man

You can’t have a group of people do this much work and you can’t be happy. One of the most underrated traits of a good leader is the ability to show appreciation. DeJacimo sure knows his stuff and he is grateful for the opportunity the mansion presents. He has also expressed the fact that securing the place for that amount was shocking for him.

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DeJacimo reiterates the fact that although work is still ongoing in terms of housekeeping, they couldn’t have gotten a better place. As far as the church is concerned, it is a miracle that they ended up picking up the house after it had been unoccupied for about a decade.

The working community

The mansion could very well be a tourist attraction spot given the caliber of the former resident. Tyson is someone who draws the awe of a lot of people. The pastor could recall many people in the area stopping to check out the space while it was being constructed who thought Mike Tyson was the one reworking the place.

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Their curiosity was fascinating and the pastor hopes that it might help to grow the church as well. The party house is now a house of prayer. While it is missing all the fabulousness that Mike Tyson brought into the environment, it now belongs to a more pious community.

Still Kicking it at 55

Mike Tyson’s head is still pretty much in the boxing game as he stepped out of retirement to take part in an exhibition match in 2020. It seems like nothing can keep the boxing legend tied down for long, not even age. He now runs a talk show about boxing on his YouTube channel.

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On a particular episode, he mentioned that he would fight boxing brothers Logan or Jake Paul if the price was right. Well, the brothers have quite a huge following on social media and their fight would generate a huge amount of money. It’d be old school versus the new school.

Logan Paul Versus Floyd Mayweather

Mike Tyson chipped in on the boxing matchup between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather. Prior to the event, Mike Tyson had stated that Logan Paul doesn’t stand a chance against Floyd Mayweather. We would think that to be undisputed given Mayweather’s reputation before and after retirement.

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In the aftermath, Mike Tyson refuted his statement as he regretted that he doubted Logan Paul. Even though Logan lost, Tyson acknowledged that he was quite ferocious as he lasted eight long rounds with Mayweather. He made his opinion known to Logan who was thrilled to have Tyson praise his abilities. Well, now Mayweather has gotten 51-0 wins on the bounce. Legendary!