Jake Paul had some strong words to say about the Mike Tyson fight
Does Jake Paul feel very confident in fighting Mike Tyson? Mackenzie Salmon breaks down some ideas.
Sports seriously
If ever there was a script to promote a Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight, it flipped on Thursday.
Finally, the boxers took off the gloves — metaphorically — as they exchanged insults instead of smiles.
Three days after a playful standoff between the two fighters sparked speculation that the fight was rigged, the tone was noticeably darker and more controversial when Tyson, 57, and Paul, 27, appeared at a news conference in Arlington, Texas.
Unlike New York, the site of Monday’s kickoff news conference, the crowd helped set the tone when it greeted Paul with boos and obscene chants of “(Expletive, Jake Paul!”).
Paul cheered and Tyson also joined in during an event to promote the heavyweight bout, which is scheduled to take place on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The fighters, encouraged by manager Brian Custer, addressed speculation that their heavyweight boxing match was rigged.
“Well, obviously they don’t have a high IQ here, but this is a federal crime,” Paul said.
Tyson was asked to respond to speculation the scenario called for him to lose to Paul, who had his second professional bout on the undercard of the Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. show in 2020.
“Well, just come to the fight and you’ll see,” Tyson said. “Listen, I started Jake and I’m going to finish him off.”
The crowd cheered, and Paul seized the moment.
“Hey, I hope you all keep the same energy when I knock this old (expletive) guy out,” Paul barked.
Tyson seemed genuinely upset by Paul’s antics and walked out briefly at the end of the press conference during the celebratory showdown. This time there were no smiles or laughter.
Why did the name Buster Douglas appear?
One exchange between the fighters concerns Paul’s weight. Paul said he gained weight during the fight and looks noticeably larger.
Or as Tyson said: “He’s fat.”
“Hey, Buster Douglas was fat,” Paul responded, referring to the boxer who knocked out Tyson in 1990 in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport and handed Tyson the first loss of his career. “Am i right?”
“I know, but you’re not Buster Douglas,” Tyson said.
“I’m better, I’m better,” Paul said. “And I will finish you faster than he did. And you will remember it forever.”
“You started me off. I appreciate it. Mike, I love you, I love you. Like a father loves his son but I have to discipline you. You’re going down, old man.”
“Well, I love you too,” Tyson said.
Mike Tyson is unimpressed by Jake Paul’s KO list
Paul (9-1) won by knockout in six of those fights. Don’t count Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) among those impressed.
“He can’t even knock Nick Diaz out,” Tyson said, referring to Nick Diaz’s brother, Nate, the UFC star Paul defeated by unanimous decision in August 2023. “Nick Diaz is 40 pounds. How are you going to fire me?
Tyson also pointed to Anderson Silva, the UFC legend who Paul beat via unanimous decision in 2022.
“He couldn’t even knock those little guys out. How is he going to knock me out?” Tyson said, also noting that Paul had failed to beat Tommy Fury, who beat Paul by split decision in 2023.
“Who hit?” Tyson asked about Paul. “Little children.
‘Never shook a real man. Come on.’
“Look, he’s right,” Paul replied. I can’t stand here and say I did those things. But what I promise people is that on July 20, Mike will be put to sleep and he will feel my power and I will be the man who put Tyson to sleep for the last time.
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