ROCKY star Sylvester Stallone has issued a grovelling apology to Jake Paul after claiming his life was “spared” by Mike Tyson.

But Stallone first accused Tyson of producing “one of the great Oscar winning performances of all time” in his unanimous defeat to Paul.

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Sylvester Stallone has apologised after claiming Mike Tyson ‘spared’ Jake Paul

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Paul, 27, beat Iron Mike, 58, by unanimous decision earlier this month
And fans both inside the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium and at home were left bitterly disappointed with the display from both corners.

Many accused the Netflix eight-round fight of being “fixed” as both Iron Mike and Paul barely threw any punches between them.

Paul admitted to carrying the 58-year-old former world heavyweight champion, stating that he “wanted to give the fans a show” and that he “didn’t want to hurt somebody that didn’t need to be hurt.”

But Stallone was not convinced and suggested Tyson “spared” Paul in a now-deleted Instagram post.

The 78-year-old actor’s caption read: “Just to set my personal record straight.

“Business is business. SOMETIMES you have to do hard things and sacrifice for the sake of helping your FAMILY….

“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!

“Please, Jake, be grateful, HE SPARED YOUR LIFE!”

Stallone’s post prompted an angry response from Paul in the comments.

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The 27-year-old brutally replied: “Always looked up to you as kid, but now you are a spreader of lies against my name.

“Sad to see you fall. Maybe it’s all the plastic surgery.”

But Stallone has since rolled back on his harsh words and apologised to Paul five days later.

Stallone edited the post, writing: “Just to set my personal record straight … upon second viewing the best man won that night. My apologies. Keep punching.”

He has since deleted the post altogether.

Tyson’s final bow defeat to Paul was one of the most-watched sporting events EVER as it peaked at 65 million streams.

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Paul was forced to respond to a series of claims questioning the legitimacy of the fight.

His promotional company’s statement read: “This is not the first time Jake Paul has faced unfounded scepticism or outright disbelief as a professional athlete.

“And frankly, the claim that his bout must have been rigged is just the latest backhanded compliment to come his way.

“This event, which broke attendance and viewership milestones for a professional sporting event, is yet another example of his ability to deliver on the biggest stage.”