Hall of Famer Goldberg has weighed in on speculation surrounding the recent boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, dismissing claims that the bout was staged.

The fight, which took place on November 15th, saw 27-year-old Jake Paul defeat the legendary 58-year-old Tyson via unanimous decision. While fans of both combatants have debated the outcome, some sceptics have gone a step further, suggesting the match was scripted—drawing parallels to professional wrestling. Addressing the rumours on an episode of the podcast CarCast, Goldberg pushed back against the notion of a pre-planned result. Instead, he pointed to Tyson’s age as a key factor in his performance.

My professional opinion is that it wasn’t scripted. I just think that at 58 years old the first thing that goes is your body and the last thing that goes is your mind.

The former wrestling icon further elaborated, noting that Tyson likely struggled to meet his own expectations in the ring.

Tyson may have wanted to do better, he wanted to perform better, he wanted to knock Jake Paul out and he wanted to give a better impression of himself to the world, but there’s only so much you can do.

The match has sparked intense debate in both the boxing and entertainment communities, with some praising Tyson for stepping into the ring at his age, while others questioned the competitive nature of the event. Goldberg’s comments serve as a reminder of the challenges ageing athletes face, even when their will to compete remains strong.