Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin has made a surprising claim about the recent boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. According to Irvin, Tyson’s contract may have included stipulations that prevented him from throwing his signature uppercuts during the fight, which ultimately ended in a unanimous decision victory for Jake Paul.
The bout took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday, November 15, and Irvin’s comments have only added fuel to the speculation that the fight might not have been entirely legitimate.
Michael Irvin, who played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1988 to 1999 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, wasn’t alone in his skepticism.
Many fans and observers have voiced similar concerns about the fight, suggesting that Tyson’s performance seemed unusually restrained. Irvin’s theory, however, adds an interesting layer, as he suggests that Tyson’s inability to use his uppercut was not a matter of choice but rather a contractual obligation.
During an appearance on the podcast “It Is What It Is,” Irvin elaborated on his thoughts. “They had no intentions to really scrap at all. If you look through that, I didn’t see one patented uppercut by Mike Tyson,” Irvin said. “What if Mike Tyson hit him with an uppercut? Then I heard some people talking about how they put that in the contract—he couldn’t body him and then uppercut. Like, how can you put that in a fight contract?”
Irvin’s frustration was palpable as he continued, emphasizing how such a stipulation would essentially handicap Tyson’s fighting style.
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“You got all these people out here, and he couldn’t body him and do that patented uppercut. All of that is—Mike Tyson is not Mike Tyson anyway, and now you’re taking away Mike Tyson’s best gift, which was that uppercut,” Irvin explained. “Man, that’s a big lie to me. That’s like making me play a game without running a slant route or the deep end or the deep out. You do what you do best. If they take that away, you’re not that dude anymore, and they took that away.”
Irvin’s comments carry a certain weight, given his proximity to the fight and his familiarity with Tyson’s career. Not only did Irvin rise to fame during the same era as Tyson in the 1990s, but he also holds a legendary status with the Dallas Cowboys—the very team that calls AT&T Stadium home.
Given the fight’s location, it’s plausible that Irvin had access to insider information or conversations with people who were close to the event’s organization.
Adding further credence to Irvin’s claims are several videos circulating on social media that seem to show Tyson pulling his punches during the fight or outright choosing not to throw them. One particular clip, which has garnered over four million views on X (formerly known as Twitter), has gone viral, with viewers pointing out moments where Tyson appears hesitant to unleash his usual power.
The footage has only fueled further suspicion that Tyson may have been contractually restricted from fighting with his trademark aggression.
The idea of a fixed or partially restricted fight is not new to the world of celebrity boxing, where entertainment value often takes precedence over genuine competition.
Still, the allegations surrounding the Tyson-Paul fight have struck a chord with fans who were hoping to see a real contest between the two. For many, Tyson’s absence of his signature uppercuts—the very move that made him a fearsome opponent in his prime—felt like an indication that something was amiss.
While neither Tyson nor Paul has publicly addressed Irvin’s claims, the controversy surrounding the fight continues to grow. Many fans are now questioning whether they were truly witnessing a legitimate battle or merely a staged event designed to entertain.
As the speculation continues, one thing is certain: Michael Irvin’s words have brought renewed scrutiny to a fight that was already under the microscope.
Whether or not the contract actually restricted Tyson’s ability to throw uppercuts, the conversation sparked by Irvin highlights a growing concern about the authenticity of high-profile celebrity fights. Fans expect to see genuine competition, especially when legends like Mike Tyson are involved.
If there is any truth to the idea that Tyson was prevented from using his best weapons, it would be a disservice not only to the viewers but also to Tyson’s legacy as one of the most formidable fighters the sport has ever seen.
