Jake Paul’s fight with Mike Tyson was criticised by some (Image: Getty)
Oliver McCall, at the age of 59, has been defended for his decision to continue to fight, in contrast to the criticism faced for his November bout with due to his age.
Tyson, aged 58, went head-to-head with the ‘Problem Child’ at the ATandT Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on November 15.
Over eight rounds, he was outperformed via unanimous decision, appearing slower and less agile than his younger self during the match. Given Tyson’s age and his absence from professional boxing since 2005, fans were hardly shocked by Paul’s victory over the former WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight champion.
Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer who is 31 years younger than Tyson, looked noticeably fresher during the fight, improving his professional record to 11-1 with the win. However, McCall did not receive the same level of criticism as Tyson when he stepped into the ring at the Texas Troubadour Theatre under the Country Box banner four days later, a year older than Tyson, to face off against Stacy Frazier, 54.
McCall enhanced his record to 60-14-2(No Contest) with a second-round TKO, having already floored his rival twice in the bout, terminating the contest with a crushing right hand at the 25-second mark. Amidst concerns for the welfare of older boxers, Tennessee Athletic Commission’s Kevin Walters recently spoke about how fighters are permissioned for bouts.
He told : “By law, any combatant who is over 35 years of age undergoes additional neurological testing prior to being approved for an initial or renewed license. All applications are reviewed in accordance with Tennessee laws and regulations.”
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Oliver McCall fought just four days after Mike Tyson’s bout (Image: Getty)
Despite safety debates, McCall seems far from retirement, challenging Paul post-victory in the ring with gusto: “I’m going to lose about 10 more pounds and I’m ready for anybody. Oh, I’ll knock Jake Paul out.
“I want to get revenge for Nate Robinson and then Mike Tyson, for what he done with Mike Tyson. That would be awesome,” mistakenly summoning Logan Paul into the fray as the vanquisher of NBA figure Robinson, whereas the true antagonist was actually Jake.
Oliver McCall, the boxing veteran who famously defeated Lennox Lewis for the WBC heavyweight title in September 1994, is gearing up for another bout despite his advancing years. With a professional debut dating back to November 1985 and a record of 24-5 before his stunning TKO victory over Lewis, McCall has shown remarkable longevity in the sport.
Oliver McCall (left) has been defended for fighting at 59 (Image: Getty)
He successfully defended his title once before losing it to Frank Bruno nearly a year later. Now, at an age when many boxers have long since hung up their gloves, McCall is preparing to enter the ring against Gary Cobia on January 21 in Nashville.
However, there’s a twist in the tale as the fight hangs in the balance; Walters has revealed that Cobia hasn’t yet applied for a license from the Commission. He elaborated: “The Commission’s staff reviews all applications for licenses and permits. Combatants who are thirty-five years of age or older submit to additional neurological testing to obtain or renew a license. If an individual qualifies for a permit, the Commission may approve the application.
“Gary Cobia has not yet applied for a license. If he submits an application for a license, the Commission’s staff will review the relevant information, documents, and any suspension statuses.”