Mike Tyson is set to face Jake Paul in a boxing ring later this year, with the pair of them set to trade blows in a highly-anticipated bout as the American gears up for his first contest in 17 years
YouTube personality turned prizefighter Jake Paul has received a no-nonsense warning as his highly-anticipated clash with the legendary former world champion boxer Mike Tyson inches closer.
The celebrity boxing match was originally penciled in for July but had to be postponed when Tyson developed an inflamed ulcer that sidelined him from training on doctor's advice. The good news for boxing fans is that Tyson, having returned to training, has declared he'll be fight-ready next month.
The rearranged face-off is now locked in for Friday, November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where an audience of up to 90,000 could witness the spectacle. Tyson, who last professionally squared off in the ring in 2005 against Kevin McBride and exhibited against Roy Jones Jr in 2020, remains a draw even outside of his prime.
Paul, 27, comes off a victory over ex-UFC fighter Mike Perry this past July. Team Tyson has been turning up the heat with some choice words for Paul. A promotional video released recently featured someone from Tyson's camp stating definitively: "We're not looking to throw just one bomb. We want to throw missile after missile."
Reinforcing this sentiment, one of Tyson's trainers boldly claimed that Jake Paul wouldn't stand a chance if the fight happened now. "If the fight were today, Jake Paul would be done," he asserted. "He throws missiles, not just one bomb. The bombs, they come one after another."
Concerns over Tyson's health have surfaced as he recently confessed, "It's hard to walk right now. But two months from now I'm going to be perfect. The fight is won in the gym. Listen, I'll do anything that will help me. I'm going to enjoy my time here tonight with all my childhood friends, and the hell with Jake Paul."
The boxing community is buzzing with mixed reactions after Tyson dropped some training snaps before his face-off with Paul. His commitment level has come under scrutiny following a bombshell revelation.
On Jimmy Kimmel's show, 'Iron Mike' boasted about his rigorous regimen: "I am training extremely hard, I do six hours a day. I start at 11am and might leave the gym at 5pm," A bewildered Kimmel responded, "Oh no. 11am? So that's six hours straight, or is there a lunch break?" Tyson conceded there's a brief intermission, leaving Kimmel astonished: "Oh no."
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Adding to the drama, Tyson could risk a boxing ban if he flunks a drug test, especially after his admission of possibly lighting up before the clash. In the same sit-down with Kimmel, when quizzed about being high for the fight, Tyson said, "I'm going to be so high off life, yeah."
Probing further, Kimmel asked, "Will you be high on marijuana, as well? " Tyson didn't rule it out: "That's a possibility, too." Kimmel, half-jokingly lamented: "Oh no my bet is getting lower as we talk."
Despite the bold claim, it's uncertain how earnest Tyson was about his pre-fight plans. Should he actually indulge in cannabis prior to his bout with 'The Problem Child,' he risks disqualification by the Texas Commission since marijuana is banned by the regulatory authority.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) warns: "If either combatant were to test positive for a banned substance, we would open a complaint, put them on a 90-day suspension and if the combatant were the winner, the decision would be changed to a no-decision because of a rules violation."
