At age 58, “Iron” Mike Tyson couldn’t rule out another fight after his inspiring, if past his prime, performance against Jake Paul on Netflix’s first ever live boxing card. And while there’s no doubt that money is a key motivator, academic studies point to other reasons that explain why so many sporting legends find it hard to step away.

While many elite athletes often find it hard to retire, experts suggest that there are ways of living with life after sport. A wide-ranging academic review published in 2023 highlighted key factors that determine whether or not a retirement is likely to hold. It also notes that the loss of identity that often comes with stepping away from competition is a difficult pill to swallow.

Tyson realizes he’ll never again become the champion of the world. However, the act of lacing up his gloves and stepping through the ropes to the adulation of his fans is type of validation that few human beings would want to give up. Then there are the “lifestyle modifications” that athletes go through when they call it quits. Once an athlete is no longer required to train in a structured way, they can find it difficult to fill their time, leading to negative habits.

It’s Hard to Take the Competition Out of the Athlete

But studies show that “athletes who create a healthy sport-life balance over the course of their athletic career can better transition into life after sport.” For young athletes reading this story, this basically means that you should remember that sporting careers are short, so make sure to build a life that is not contingent on competing in a single discipline. “Developing interests outside of sport and making time to develop contingency plans for life after sport helped ameliorate the transition,” added the review.

Another factor that keeps athletes coming back for more is a lack of contentment over their final performance. Tyson himself has been involved in a number of negatively received celebrity style bouts and while paying off his debts has been a serious driving force, the boxer has also talked of feelings of depression outside of the ring. Reclaiming the euphoria that the fighter must have felt as king of the ring is sure to influence his decision to stay in the spotlight.

And, while Jake Paul may have defeated Mike Tyson on November 15 in a glitzy bout promoted by Netflix and sponsored by Celsius at a packed AT&T Stadium, Tyson looked particularly dangerous in the opening seconds and despite health concerns and a banged-up knee appeared lean and strong. Tyson had obviously put a lot of preparation into the bout and didn’t let himself or his fans down.

How do elite athletes succeed with a smooth retirement?

“… Athletes who can gain a sense of perceived control over their athletic termination, and gradually reduced their athletic participation, are able to transition better into retirement,” says the academic review. “Although supporting athletes to maintain balance, plan for their retirement, and gradually detrain themselves may seem counterintuitive to sports organizations who want the most out of their current athletes, our paper indicates that athletes who plan for retirement may actually perform better while still competing.”

It’s true, many of today’s athletes and their coaches are realizing that mental health is just as important to great physical performances as the countless hours spent in training. Time spent with the family instead of on the field can provide some much-needed perspective as baseball’s Holby Minor once told M&F.  He explained that gaining a flow state in a chosen sport can be derailed if a player is feeling too much pressure or anxiety. Team USA have also announced that they are working harder to raise the bar in terms of teaching athletes how to better look after themselves, and that includes making sure that its competitors get more shut eye.

While retiring from elite sports is an individual experience, the academic scholars agree that the “sports-or-nothing” mentality that was promoted in the past needs to be put on the bench, instead emphasizing the development of an individuals as “more than an athlete.”

Experts say that athletes ought to be encouraged to develop a well-rounded sense of self, which is not exclusively focused on their athletic endeavors, but also embraces their qualities outside of the arena. For his part, Tyson says that having something to train for in the run up to his most recent bout was a positive force in his life, and while he may yet be back for more, his satisfaction with a more than respectable performance for a 58-year-old, fighting an opponent 30 years his junior, may finally enable a retirement that sticks.

“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won,” explained the boxing legend after the fight. Hold on to that thought, Mike!