Eric Esch, better known as Butterbean, has boldly claimed that Mike Tyson lacks a solid chin as the 58-year-old eyes a sensational return to professional boxing. The former heavyweight fighter hasn't stepped into the ring since his 2013 TKO loss to Kirk Lawton but believes he's ready for one last dance under the spotlight.
"You know, Tyson don't have a chin. People don't realise that," Butterbean told Mirror Fighting. "Mike cannot take a punch. He's normally so quick, people don't hit him that much. But I spar with Buster Mathis Jr, they have the exact same style. They've been trained by the same people, and I had no trouble hitting him."
Butterbean's journey back to fighting shape has been nothing short of remarkable. After retiring with a record of 77-10-4 (57 KOs), his weight ballooned past 500 pounds, leaving him wheelchair-bound and battling depression that kept him bed-ridden for nearly a year.
Interestingly, there were discussions about a potential Butterbean-Tyson fight back in 2020, but Esch had to decline due to his physical condition at the time.
"Well, the reason I turned down, because I couldn't walk," he explained. "He had a fight fall out and they reached out to me. I don't know which camp reached out, but when you can't walk, you're in a wheelchair, you can't fight."
Now, with help from WWE superstar "Diamond" Dallas Page and his yoga program, Butterbean has trimmed down to 285 pounds and feels rejuvenated.
"But guess what? I'm not in a wheelchair no more. I went and moved to DDP for a while, did his yoga programme, and I'm in the best shape of my life right now. I feel better now at 50-something than I did when I was in my 20s, which is insane."
While Tyson is on his radar, Butterbean has made it clear that Jake Paul is his primary target. The veteran boxer recently launched his own energy drink flavor while announcing: "Butterbean's back for one more fight. There's only one fighter out there that wants to fight retired, bald guys. Jake Paul, I'm coming for you."
Could the boxing world actually see Butterbean square off against either Tyson or Paul in the near future? At 58, is this comeback dream realistic or simply a promotional tactic for his new business ventures?
