Former American heavyweight boxing star Mike Tyson said that his decision to return to the ring at the age of 57 came “without thinking,” ignoring criticism that said he was too old to return again.
In a press conference held in New York yesterday, Monday, to promote his upcoming fight against YouTube content creator Jake Paul, Tyson admitted that training for his comeback had had a negative impact on him.
The former heavyweight world champion, who will face Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, said: “I’m in great shape, but my body is in bad shape right now. “I feel pain, I feel so much pain.”
The boxer, who terrorized his heavyweight rivals in the 1980s and 1990s as “the worst man in the world”, insisted he had no reservations about putting on his gloves again, nearly two decades after his last professional fight in 2005.
He continued: “It happened without thinking,” and added, speaking of his opponent: “He is a new person on the scene. I love shaking the world of sports to its core and I am doing it now. It is just something I want to do.”
Tyson, who will turn 58 next June, will face Paul, who is 31 years younger than him, in a professional fight of eight two-minute rounds approved by the Texas boxing authorities.
However, several members of the boxing community, including former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, have expressed reservations about the fight, expressing concern that Tyson could suffer serious injury.
Tyson responded to the doubters, saying: “I’m beautiful, that’s all I can say. The people who said that wish they were here. No one can do this.”
Tyson posted videos of some of his training on social media, in which he appeared strong and fit, and commented on them with a threat to his young rival.
“Ready or not here I come” pic.twitter.com/w80t4ZhnFA
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) May 7, 2024
For his part, Paul said he was ready to deal with Tyson’s experience and the power of his punches: “A lot of people doubt me. I see comments that say: If Jake wins this fight, it’s rigged. Because of his great looks. Age doesn’t matter.”
He added, praising Tyson: “He is a killer. He is a warrior. He has been doing this all his life, so this is second nature to him. I have only been doing this for 4 years and at a high level.”
He added: “On July 20, I will show the world that I can beat Mike Tyson and prove everyone wrong…”
In turn, Tyson stressed that he has no animosity towards his much younger rival, and joked: “I really like Jake very much. But once he is in that ring, he has to fight as if his life depends on it, because it will.”
The former heavyweight icon refused to rule out the idea of not fighting more fights in the future, and concluded by saying: “Maybe we will do it again. But can I take care of Jake first? Please.”