Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is shaping up to be one of the most highly-anticipated boxing matches in recent history.
Despite no championship being on the line, the sheer celebrity and spectacle of the bout is enough to garner a wide audience.
Now, the potential presence of a professional wrestling legend could bring in even more of a crowd.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 21: Hulk Hogan’s opponent Ric Flair is greeted by the crowd during Hulk Hogan’s Hulkamania Tour at Rod Laver Arena on November 21, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 21: Hulk Hogan’s opponent Ric Flair is greeted by the crowd during Hulk Hogan’s Hulkamania Tour at Rod Laver Arena on November 21, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. Mark Dadswell/Getty Images
WWE Hall of Famer and professional wrestling icon Ric Flair recently took to social media to show his support for the former Heavyweight Champion.
“Today is your big day!” Flair declared on X (formerly Twitter). “LFG [Mike Tyson]! I’ll be in your corner! We will party all night long to celebrate when you win! WOOOOO!”
Flair accompanied the post with a picture of the Nature Boy and Iron Mike posing together on a night out.
The fight has garnered attention not just for the sheer popularity of both entrants, but because of Tyson’s age. Now 58 years old, Tyson hasn’t fought since 2005 against Kevin McBride.
This has fans and experts questioning whether he can keep going at almost 60 years old.
If Flair is actually in Tyson’s corner and not just offering him support as a friend, he could provide valuable experience as an athlete performing in their twilight years. Flair had his last professional wrestling match on July 21, 2022, at 73 years old.
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Flair first began wrestling in 1972 with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he would have matches with legends like Dusty Rhodes and André the Giant.
After a brief stop at International Wrestling Enterprise, Flair would soon find himself working with Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1974, where he would develop his Nature Boy persona.
By 1981, Flair would win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship off of Rhodes and form The Four Horsemen stable alongside Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, and Tully Blanchard.
In 1991, Flair would move to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and become the WWF Champion after winning the 1992 Royal Rumble. He would soon leave WWF in 1993 and head back to WCW, reforming The Four Horsemen and eventually feuding with the New World Order (nWo) in the late 90s.
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After WCW went bankrupt, Flair would return to WWF (now WWE) for almost a decade before “retiring” and heading to different promotions like Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and eventually coming back to WWE.
In a career spanning over 50 years, Flair is officially recognized as being a 16-time world champion, having held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship eight times, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times, and the WWF Championship twice. However, he claims to be a 21-time champion.
For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
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