Mike Tyson admits his body feels ‘s***’ and ‘sore’ as he prepares to return to the ring – but the 57-year-old has opened the door to more comeback fights after facing Jake Paul.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world takes on the Youtuber-turned-boxer in a controversial fight on Netflix on July 20.
The two fighters came face to face for the first time in New York on Monday for a press conference that soon turned into a circus.
Tyson has been warned against returning to the ring, nearly two decades since his last professional fight. The 57-year-old has been posting regular videos of his training camp.
He claims he has been preparing to a soundtrack of funeral songs and he made no effort to hide the toll camp is taking.
Mike Tyson said his body feels ‘s***’ as he gets in fighting shape for Jake Paul on July 20
Tyson and Paul held a press conference in New York ahead of the Dallas fight in two months
‘My body is s*** right now. I am sore,’ Tyson said. When it was suggested that the former heavyweight champion was playing possum, he replied: ‘I wish.’
Tyson was asked for a message to those advising him against returning to the ring, which include Deontay Wilder.
‘I think the people who say that wish they were up here. Because no one else can do this,’ he said.
‘No one else can shut the sporting world down.’
Asked by Mail Sport if this return would be a one-off or the first of multiple comeback fights, Tyson said: ‘This feels like it’s going to be pretty fun so maybe we’ll do it again… let me take care of Jake first.’
There were few fireworks between Tyson and Paul, whose face-off included a handshake, a laugh and a few playful digs to the kidney.
‘We’re friends, there’s no doubt. But in the ring, we’re not going to be friends,’ Tyson added.
‘I really like Jake but he’s going to have to fight like his life is on the line because it is.’
Katie Taylor will rematch Amanda Serrano on the card at AT&T Stadium, while Tyson-Paul has been officially sanctioned as a professional fight.
It will be over two rounds, rather than the traditional three, with Tyson claiming: ‘I wanted the shorter rounds because I wanted more action.’