With an exhibition boxing match between Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. taking place on April 25, it has raised lots of controversy among boxing fans around the world.

The controversy is about both fighters’ ages and health, with Tyson being 59 and Mayweather being 48.

Tyson’s last fight took place on Nov. 15, 2024, against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, where Tyson looked like he had no clue what he was doing after the first two rounds.

But there was controversy surrounding this fight, too: it was scripted for Paul to win and to make Tyson look terrible.

Personally, I think that match was obviously staged by how Tyson kept holding back and biting his glove for the majority of the fight.

A lot of Paul’s fights are rumored by fans to be staged, which honestly could be the case.

But now that you have two of the greatest boxers to ever put on a pair of gloves, there’s no chance that this could be staged.

Although many people might not want this fight to take place because of both fighters’ ages, I’d say let them fight.

One of the main reasons that comes to mind when people talk about their health is a very cliché saying with old-timers in sports: to let them go out doing what they love.

That doesn’t mean they’re going to die by being in the ring, but if they want to put their health on the line by doing something they are passionate about, then that’s their decision.

Tyson is the main concern, as he was hospitalized before his match with Paul.

He experienced an “ulcer flare-up” while he was on a flight in late May 2024, according to TODAY.

This flare-up caused Tyson to nearly die and receive eight blood transfusions after losing half of his blood and also losing 25 pounds, according to his post-fight X tweet on Nov. 16, 2024.

Nobody knows if it was from his training sessions or if it just happened naturally, but most can assume it was from his training.

But if you look at his training videos from back then to now, Tyson pushes himself as hard as he can, and he looks as fast and as sharp as ever.

And even in his late 50s, one right hook from him and you’re out cold.

For Mayweather, he’s definitely slowed down, but health isn’t an issue; Father Time is just catching up to him.

While he may not be the fighter he once was, Mayweather is still figuring out ways to win multiple exhibition matches in recent years.

On the downside, these recent matches were for entertainment purposes rather than being officially scored in the record books.

He had matches with Paul’s brother, Logan Paul (2021), social media personality Oladeji Daniel Olatunji (Deji) (2022) and former MMA fighter John Gotti III (2023, 2024).

Nonetheless, Mayweather continues to at least be in the sport of boxing, and he’s even running it back with Manny Pacquiao one more time on Sept. 19, according to Netflix.

Although Tyson and Mayweather are climbing in age, I think the entertainment value will be through the roof, and I can’t wait to see these two boxing legends go at it.

They are setting an example for many old-timers in sports, even non-combat sports, that age is just a number.

One’s determination and passion should be the motive behind athletes, and people in general, to continue doing what they love to do.