Mike Tyson says he is “feeling 100%” after a medical scare on a plane from Miami to Los Angeles.
Tyson, 57, experienced a medical issue on a Sunday flight that prompted a call for a doctor during the flight and required the attention of paramedics when the plane landed, In Touch Weekly reports. An unidentified eyewitness on board the plane described the scene to the publication.
“Mike had some kind of medical emergency on the plane and the paramedics boarded,” the eyewitness said. “Before paramedics arrived, the flight issued a statement asking for a doctor. The message even reached everyone’s screens.”
Tyson addressed his status directly for the first time in a social media message on Tuesday, alongside a shot at his next boxing opponent, Jake Paul.
Now I feel 100%, although I don’t need to be to beat Jake Paul.
-Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) May 28, 2024
Tyson’s representatives released a statement a day earlier addressing the report and his condition, telling the media that Tyson is “doing great” after an ulcer flare-up.
“Fortunately, Mr. Tyson is doing very well,” the statement said. “He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare-up 30 minutes before landing. He is grateful to the medical team who were there to help him.”
According to an eyewitness account on board the plane, passengers heard a pre-recorded message over the intercom asking if there were any medical personnel on board with about 30 minutes left in the flight. It is unclear from the report whether anyone on board responded. The eyewitness told In Touch that paramedics boarded the plane as soon as it landed at LAX.
“They asked us to stay on the plane and landed so the paramedics could get in,” the eyewitness said. “[The flight attendant] said something like, ‘He’s a very important passenger, so we want to make sure he’s okay.’ I knew it was him, but I just said the words ‘Mike Tyson’ and she nodded yes.
No further details about the incident on the plane were released. Tyson’s representatives did not provide any more information about his condition than in their initial statement.
Tyson is scheduled to return to the boxing ring to face Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. A former heavyweight champion, Tyson is one of the most feared fighters in the history of the sport, but he has not boxed in a sanctioned fight for 19 years.
He will enter the clash with Paul with a 50-6 record with 44 knockouts. Paul, 27, is 30 years younger than Tyson. The fight is set to be Tyson’s first sanctioned fight since he lost to Kevin McBride in 2005. In their statement, his representatives did not address his status for the fight which is scheduled to be broadcast on Netflix.
