Mike Tyson has confessed that training to fight Jake Paul has left his body “really sore” just two months before their highly-anticipated boxing match.
Tyson, who will be 58 when he faces the 27-year-old Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on July 20, will be returning to professional boxing for the first time since his retirement in 2005. The bout, set to stream live on Netflix, promises to be a spectacle.
Since his retirement, the former heavyweight champion has only fought once, drawing with Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match in 2020. On the other hand, YouTube star Paul boasts a professional record of 9-1, with six of those wins by knockout.
“I’m doing great, but my body is s*** right now,” Tyson revealed at a press conference on Monday (13 May). “I’m sore, I’m really sore.”
Despite the physical challenges, Tyson is excited about the fight: “It was a no-brainer. He’s a new, up-and-coming guy on the scene, and I like shaking the sports world to its core. And I am doing it now, it’s just something that I want to do.”
Addressing concerns about his health as the fight date approaches, “Iron Mike” confidently stated: “I’m beautiful, that’s all I can say. The people who said that wish they were up here. No one else can do this. I really like Jake a lot, but once he’s in that ring, he has to fight like his life is depending on it – because it will be.”
Paul, acknowledging the skepticism surrounding the fight, said: “A lot of people are doubting me. I see the comments saying, ‘If Jake wins this fight, it’s rigged,’ because of how incredible [Tyson] looks.
“Age doesn’t matter. He’s a killer, he’s a warrior. He’s been doing this his whole life, so it’s second nature to him. I’ve only been doing this for four years and at a super high level.
“On July 20, I’m going to show the world that I can outbox Mike Tyson and prove everyone wrong, and show that I’m going to be the one doing the killing.”
