Sylvester Stallone says Jake Paul should be thanking Mike Tyson after the famous "Rocky" actor said the former heavyweight champion put on an "Oscar winning performance" during their fight last week.
In a post shared on Instagram this week, Stallone seemed to express the belief that the record-breaking fight between the social media star and one of boxing’s greatest was a scripted performance.
"Just to set my personal record straight. Business is business. SOMETIMES you have to do hard things and sacrifice for the sake of helping your FAMILY," Stallone wrote.
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"I have known this unbelievable athlete since he’s 19 years old and what we saw was him giving one of the great Oscar winning performances of all time!!!! Please, Jake, be grateful, HE SPARED YOUR LIFE! Trust me.
"Keep punching Mike, there will never be a MAN like you, a GLADIATOR like you, and a SOUL like you! Keep punching champion of champions! I remember once I bumped into him and thought I was hit by [a] runaway BULLDOZER!!!"
In the days since the fight, fans pointed to certain slowed-down videos of the fight as proof Tyson held back on his punches, leading to claims the fight was rigged.
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Paul, 27, defeated Tyson, 58, by unanimous decision. Tyson, the fan favorite, looked like he had a good chance in the first two rounds, but his age quickly began to show in the third round. Tyson finished all eight two-minute rounds. The fight was officially sanctioned by the state of Texas and counted toward both their records.
In a statement released days after the fight, Tyson revealed he had a near-death experience months before stepping back into the ring. He expressed his appreciation for what will likely be his last fight.
"This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time," he said.
"To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you."
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