Mike Tyson is preparing for his fight against fellow boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, and he recently made it known that he’s not going to repeat the mistakes that made him lose his bout against Jake Paul.
Per PEOPLE, Tyson, 59, is set to face Floyd Mayweather, 48, next spring. Tyson retired in 2005, but returned to the ring for an eight-round exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr in 2020. He then went on to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in November 2024 after a four-year break, but he lost the eight-round fight by unanimous decision.
Tyson told the news outlet that he “couldn’t believe” his fight against Mayweather was going to happen until the latter signed the documents. “He signed it, so I believe it,” he said.
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Tyson said that he would look into “things that happened during my first fight with Jake” as well as his “ideology about all that” in Return of the Mike, his upcoming one-man show that will start in November.
“It’s going to be really interesting. I can’t believe, since the last time I did this, I’ve fought… What? Two times, going on three times…I’ll do better in the next one,” he said.
Tyson also touched on why he lost the fight against Paul, 28, stating that he mostly did not have the mental focus. He added that he wants to “just enjoy the moment” during his fight against Mayweather.
“This moment’s going to be over,” he said. “Just enjoy it, it doesn’t last forever.”
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Tyson further stated that he’s “just preparing, and looking forward.” “It’s just a wonderful thing that could happen,” he added.
In a previous statement from CSI/Fight Sports, Tyson said, “This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen. However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets. I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this. It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening.”
Mayweather also noted, “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and there hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy. You already know that if I am going to do something, it’s going to be big and it’s going to be legendary. I’m the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want.”
After the fight was announced, many began wondering what particular rules would be implemented. Fight Hype, in a message shared on X, stated that the contest will feature “eight 2-minute rounds”, shorter than the standard three-minute rounds seen in 10- to 12-round bouts.
The 2-minute round non-traditional rule was enforced during the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. Tyson proposed this rule to not only accommodate his age but also to make way for more action while entertaining fans.
With 50 wins from 59 fights, Tyson spent the whole of his career at heavyweight, while Mayweather’s career at the last stages was at welterweight.
The results of their fight will not count towards their career records.
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