Inside Mike Tyson’s list of serious health issues after mid-air emergency as 57-year-old returns to boxing
MIKE TYSON’S medical emergency on board a flight is the latest health scare suffered by the former boxer.
Iron Mike required medical assistance from paramedics on board a plane bound for LA from Miami after suffering an ulcer flare up.
Tyson, 57, became nauseous and dizzy but was later said to be “doing great”, according to one of his representatives.
It comes just weeks before he is due to face Jake Paul in his first boxing fight for almost four years.
He previously took on Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout in November 2020 but has since struggled with various health issues.
Tyson suffers from sciatica and a flare-up 18 months ago left the former world champion requiring a wheel chair.
He has also used a wooden cane to aid himself while walking on occasion, and has previously stated he believes his “expiration date is coming close, really soon”.
Tyson has even been warned by a doctor that he is at risk of suffering a subdural haematoma, which is the tearing of veins in the brain, in his fight against Paul, because of his age and former alcoholism.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan has also raised fears about Tyson being at risk of dying, though did not rule out the former champion causing problems for Paul inside the ring.
Tyson’s health issues have not held him back from getting into top shape for the clash, and he warned his opponent he will have to “fight like his life is depending on it”.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a condition that causes nerve irritation.
It usually affects one side, starting from the lower back or bottom and spreading down one leg.
Symptoms of sciatica include shooting pain that starts in your lower back or bottom and runs down the back of your leg, often to your foot and toes.
Common treatments for sciatica include exercises and stretches. Other treatments like injections or surgery may help if it does not get better.
Sciatica can occur when something presses or rubs on the sciatic nerve. The most common cause is a slipped disc in your spine.
Tyson retired from boxing in 2005 due to a back issue, while he also struggled with a knee injury late in his career.
He revealed sciatica, which is a condition that causes nerve irritation, is the only health issue he suffers with.
Despite that, he still thinks about his own mortality, saying on his podcast: “We’re all gonna die one day of course. Then, when I look in the mirror, I see those little spots on my face.
“I say, ‘Wow. That means my expiration date is coming close, really soon.'”