Neuroscientists and doctors agree that Tyson is at much higher risk for a traumatic brain injury at this age if he returns to boxing.
Mike Tyson is set to return to the ring this summer in a match against social media star turned professional boxer Jake Paul.
But there's a problem. Tyson, considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, will turn 58 on July 20, the night of the fight. Brain health experts and doctors agree that it is not a good idea for Tyson to risk his health by competing. At that age, he faces a much younger opponent (Paul is 27 years old).
There are many causes for this, but it's primarily due to the cumulative, lifelong effects that early traumatic brain injuries have later in life, said Art Kramer, professor of psychology and founding director of Northeastern University's Center for Cognitive Brain Health. says.
“We're lucky that we've had great medical advances that allow us to do all kinds of things even when we're older, but that doesn't mean that aging doesn't interact with head trauma and that it's done. A small number of studies suggest that: It becomes more severe as you get older,” says Kramer.
Structurally, the brain shrinks in size as we age, meaning it has more room to move around within the skull. Blood vessels in and around the brain also constrict as we age, making them more fragile and susceptible to damage.
These changes would put Tyson at increased risk for subdural hematoma or intracranial hemorrhage, said Jean Corrado, Northeastern Athletics' team physician and director of emergency sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“He's got a few hits,” Collard said. “One is his age. “There's clear data that the risk of brain injury increases after the age of 50. And there's also the fact that he almost certainly has suffered a brain injury from his previous matches. .”
To be clear, pugilists of all ages put their health at risk when they step into the ring, and there are even boxers of Tyson's age who have competed in sanctioned competitions. But the risks facing older fighters are even more pronounced.
“There are many reasons why it's more dangerous,” Kramer continues. “One is that head injuries sustained in our youth, even subtle ones, tend to remain with us, sometimes for years. But as we get older, , and many other problems related to brain function, brain structure, and cognition.
The American Academy of Neurology classifies boxing as a sport that “involves intentional trauma to the brain” and lists recommendations aimed at reducing harm to participants.
The organization says children are increasingly participating in sports that pose risks to brain health.
“And we know that repeated head trauma is not good for anyone, regardless of age,” says Kramer.
Kramer has co-authored several studies on the effects of traumatic brain injury on cognition and brain health. He notes that long-term data on the issue is still lacking, but the most harmful consequences of repeated blows to the head over time are chronic traumatic injuries that can lead to dementia. This is a condition called encephalopathy.
“What we do know is that even years later, these concussions, or what we call mild traumatic brain injuries, tend to have long-lasting effects,” Kramer said. .
Kramer, a former boxer himself, says that most professional boxers experience a concussion at least once.
“There are many different levels of traumatic brain injury, starting from mild to severe enough to cause unconsciousness for several minutes,” Kramer said. “And most boxers have experienced both, and many have experienced both.”
Another risk factor for Tyson may be the medications he takes.
“Even something as simple as 80 milligrams of baby aspirin can help thin your blood a little bit. If you take blood thinners and then get in the ring, you can cause more bleeding in your brain,” Kramer says. he says.
In a sport where knocking out an opponent is likely the goal, Corrado noted that reflexes slow with age, another vulnerability that puts Tyson at a disadvantage.
“There's a lot of data that says he won't be able to defend himself like he might have been able to do when he was 30 years old,” Corrado said.
Tyson's last professional boxing match was in 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride. He played in an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
