The former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson lost the fight against YouTube-turned-boxer Jake Paul last week. Following the fight, a viral rumor claimed the American boxing legend passed away in a hospital. This claim is widely circulated on social media platforms. However, our investigation has revealed that this claim is false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
A rumor going viral on social media today claims that American boxing legend Mike Tyson passed away in a hospital just days after a fight with social media influencer-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul.
Below is a snapshot of a Facebook post shared in a social media group today, stating, “Shocking news: Sad Mike Tyson passed away in hospital after his recent fight, along with his final regret for … See more.”
The rumor has been circulating on social media since this morning, attracting significant attention and reactions from users who believe it to be true.
Below is a snapshot of a Facebook post claiming that “Mike Tyson passed away after the Jake Paul fight.” Following this post, some users commented with “RIP.”
The claim has been widely circulated on other social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Thread, a newly created platform.
Here is a snapshot of the claim circulated on X last week, stating, “Shocking news: R.I.P. Mkie Tyson passed away in hospital after his recent fight, along with his final regret for … see more.”
Below is a snapshot of a post on Threads today stating, “Shocking news: R.I.P. Mike Tyson passed away in hospital after his recent fight, along with his final regret for … see more.”
As this rumor is going viral on social media platforms, it can be found in various posts: Link 1 (archived), Link 2 (archived), Link 3 (archived), Link 4 (archived), Link 5 (archived), and Link 5 (archived).
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo began debunking the claim above by reviewing credible news reports and running a reserve image search which led us to discover the following facts.
Mike Tyson, 58, is one of the greatest boxers in U.S. history. Competing in the heavyweight division from 1985 to 2005, he won titles in the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
As a well-known boxing legend, his death would undoubtedly be covered by numerous media outlets across the United States and around the globe.
However, as of today, we found no news reports from credible media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, or the BBC covering this claim.
The latest viral news about Mike Tyson is his fight last week against Jake Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer who is 31 years his junior, in which Tyson lost to the younger boxer.
This fight was widely covered by internationally credible media outlets such as CNN, the USA TODAY, and the Qatar-based broadcasting network Al Jazeera.
By searching the phrase “Mike Tyson passed away” on Google, it becomes clear that the heavyweight legend revealed he almost died some months ago due to his health condition. This news was covered by the BBC and attributed to Mike Tyson’s Instagram post.
By running a reverse image search, we discovered that images featuring funeral services for Mike Tyson are actually from tragic events that occurred some years ago. Additionally, images showing Mike Tyson lying in a hospital bed were found to be edited.
Below is a snapshot of a photo featuring a funeral service for a family who lost five members in a tragic car accident in early 2016 in Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph | Archived Link
As the rumor dominates social media platforms, it has also been debunked by other fact-checking organizations, including the Australian Associated Press (AAP), Snopes, and Dubawa.
There are many rumors about the deaths of various celebrities, but Fact Crescendo has debunked these claims. Discover our previously debunked stories through the following links:
- Sylvester Stallone Death Rumors Are NOT True!
- The rumor about a new, sad announcement from Prince William about Kate is false.
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CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo determined that the claim was false. The American boxing legend, Mike Tyson, 58, is alive following his fight with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul last week. Despite the rumors circulating on social media, there is no credible evidence to support the claim of his death.
Title:False Rumor Claims Mike Tyson Died After Recent Fight with Jake Paul
Written By: Fact Crescendo TeamResult: False
