Mike Tyson forced to release statement after Jake Paul’s now-retracted claim he was suffering from Parkinson’s
BOXING legend Mike Tyson has denied he is suffering from Parkinson’s disease – after a now-retracted claim from Jake Paul. The Problem Child beat Iron Mike in November with a unanimous points victory in their eight-round boxing bout.Jake Paul appeared to claim Mike Tyson was cured of Parkinson’s by psychedelic drugsCredit: GettyThe YouTuber made the unsubstantiated suggestion on a Kick live streamCredit: XTyson, 58, overcame various health scares in the lead-up to the fight.The former heavyweight world champion even admitted he “almost died” and required “eight blood transfusions” last June.An ulcer issue caused the initial fight date to be postponed to November.Tyson was able to step into the ring in Dallas – although he struggled to cope with his opponent 30 years his junior.READ MORE ON BOXINGPaul appeared to make the wild allegation that Tyson was struggling with Parkinson’s over the weekend. Speaking to Adin Ross on a Kick live stream, the YouTuber, 28, claimed: “Ayahuasca is really good for your brain as well. “And same with toad. Toad cured Tyson’s Parkinson’s so that he could come back and fight.”Asked how toad is taken, Paul added: “You smoke it.”Most read in BoxingFollowing the claim, Tyson’s representatives denied that the former heavyweight world champion has Parkinson’s disease. A spokesperson told TMZ: “Mike is happy and perfectly healthy. Mike Tyson doesn’t hesitate when asked who was most powerful puncher in boxing “He doesn’t have Parkinson’s or any other illness.”Paul himself took to X and claimed he “misspoke” during the livestream.He wrote: “Bruh…Mike Tyson didn’t have no Parkinsons..WTF. “Why the f*** is the internet so stupid for. I misspoke. “Meant he used toad to heal his pain. He has spoken about it many times. Just like I do. Just like many do.”According to the NHS, Parkinson’s is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years.It is caused by a loss of nerve cells which in turn leads to a reduction of the chemical dopamine and affects men slightly more than women, especially those over 50.The neurological condition can lead to various symptoms including involuntary shaking and tremors, slow movement, stiff rigidity of muscles, balance difficulties and memory problems. There is not currently a known cure for Parkinson’s disease although medication, physiotherapy and surgery can help relieve symptoms. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1984 aged 42 and lived with the condition until his death 32 years later in 2016.READ MORE SUN STORIESTyson was paid around £16million for the Paul fight, which was shown to over 100 million viewers on Netflix.The Baddest Man on the Planet, 58, admitted last month he has still not fully recovered from the bout. Everything you need to know about Parkinson’sParkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition, meaning that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. It affects around 153,000 people in the UK. People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working. This can cause a range of more than 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are:Tremor (shaking)Slow movementRigidity (muscle stiffness)Other common signs include:Mild memory and thinking problemsTrouble sleepingIssues with balance PainAnxiety and depression Shuffling walk with very small steps Difficulty making facial expressions Loss of sense of smell Problems peeing Constipation The four main ways of managing Parkinson’s include medication, staying active, exploring occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language therapy, and monitoring symptoms. Source: Parkinson’s UK and NHS More