‘Rocky’ Star Sylvester Stallone Shows Love to Mike Tyson after Jake Paul Fight

Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone says there'll never be a man or soul in this world like "Iron" Mike Tyson.

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Sylvester Stallone says Mike Tyson delivered an 'Oscar-winning performance' in his return to the ring.

Rocky Balboa vs. Mike Tyson?

Decades before the 58-year-old had ever stepped into the ring against Jake Paul, Tyson was boxing's heavyweight champion of the world and nearly a star in Stallone's Rocky franchise as it so turns out, with the actor approaching him about potentially fighting his character - boxer Rocky Balboa - as an opponent in one of his movies. Tyson would decline.

"Mike said, 'Hell, no. I wouldn't even let you beat me for play.' I thought that was crazy..." Tyson's former manager Rory Holloway said in an interview with SunSport.

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Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Stallone Weighs-In On Tyson's Comeback Fight

While Tyson and Stallone were never able to share the ring, there's still a lot of respect between the celebrities - even more for "Iron" Mike after he defied the odds against Jake Paul, making it the full 8-round distance in their boxing match last weekend after a serious health scare earlier this year.

"Just to set my personal record straight. Business is business. SOMETIMES you have to do some things you HAVE to do sacrifice for the sake of helping your FAMILY," Stallone wrote of Tyson's return amid speculation that the fight had been rigged, a common narrative in Paul's fights.

"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!!!!

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"Keep Punching Champion Of Champions!"

As a fictional boxing icon, Stallone made his final walk to the ring in Rocky Balboa (2006) at 59 years old, going the distance just like Tyson at 58 (although, Rocky nearly beat the champion in his larger-than-life comeback story).

"So in conclusion, I’ll take a line from Rocky, “he’s a wrecking machine, anything he touches it breaks badly.” 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!" Stallone concluded his message to Tyson.

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