Mike Tyson has squared off against very tough opponents in the ring, but the 58-year-old boxing legend recently claimed that his upcoming match against Jake Paul, 27, is “biggest fight in the history of life!!”
Tyson in an interview on TMZ Live said that although he has featured in many huge Pay-Per-Views during his career, their November 15 fight in Texas supersedes all.
The former heavyweight champion also said that their boxing match had garnered huge attention. “There’s never been a fight this big,” Tyson added.
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“Friday night, they can look forward to seeing that man Jake Paul get beaten bad,” Tyson also said. “My intentions is to knock him out.”
Tyson’s fight against Paul, who is a social media star, was pushed to November 15 after he suffered an ulcer flare-up in May. He, however, told FOX 4 that he’s healthy and prepared to face off against Paul. He also said he has “bad intentions,” adding that his training routine has not changed.
“[Training] is not much different. I just need more massages than normal,” Tyson said. He also said that though Paul is good a fighter, he is still not on his level. He told Paul not to “run like a thief” as he wants them to stand in and trade punches.
“I think he should try it. He’s a younger man, he should be able to handle punches from an old withering man like me,” Tyson said.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, the fight has been officially sanctioned as a professional bout. According to BBC, this means that the results of the fight will subsequently reflect on Tyson and Paul’s records.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation said it sanctioned the fight as a professional one with “certain waivers” after it reviewed records and the medical history of both Tyson and Paul. The agency manages combat sports in the state.
“The safety of the contestants competing in the ring or the octagon is always the primary concern,” the TDLR said. The fight, however, has some conditions. It cannot go beyond eight rounds and two minutes per round. Tyson and Paul are also required to wear 14oz gloves instead of 10oz.
Tyson’s professional career ended in 2005 and he has not fought since he and Roy Jones Jr. met in a 2020 exhibition that ended in a draw. Paul has won nine of his 10 boxing fights, usually against ex-UFC fighters. His only defeat was when he came against British heavyweight Tommy Fury in February last year, according to BBC.
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