The drama was real — reportedly — at a recent press conference for the highly-anticipated upcoming bout between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul in Dallas, Texas, as the boxing legend reacted strongly to a reporter’s question about his age and the fight’s authenticity.
The 57-year-old boxing great has been very confident in the leadup to the matchup with Paul, but critics have argued strongly that the fight is essentially a sideshow playing on Mike Tyson’s name to generate a massive hype for a boxer that is literally decades outside of a reasonable fighting age. Many contend that the fight is a payout to put a legend on Paul’s resume as he continues to build a name for himself in the boxing world, and making a fortune in the process.
When asked about Paul’s decision to fight what the reporter called a “58-year-old gimmick,” Tyson demanded clarification. “What did you just call me?” he asked visibly angered by the comment.
The tension escalated before eventually subsiding as Tyson maintained his intensity. He emphasized that age does not determine strength will or skill. “It’s about character and conviction,” he remarked.
Tyson and Paul managed to engage in a final face-off without incident before returning to their training camps.
Tyson’s return to the ring at 57 has been met with both excitement and skepticism, but many have reported being impressed by watching his workouts. Despite this, the fighter is obviously far from his prime as he goes into a fight that leans more on entertainment value than on any real competition to decide “Who’s the best?” But Tyson remains determined to defy age-related limitations and post a win over the younger Jake Paul.
“Experience is the greatest teacher it’s an asset one can’t buy only earn,” Tyson said in his closing remarks. He reminded critics that he is more than capable of delivering on fight night.
The fight set for July 20 will be streamed on Netflix.
