Mike Tyson in a documentary, promoting the fight said that he lost 26 pounds in the recovery process, but Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder with Paul of Most Valuable Promotions, said Tyson had been cleared medically for weeks
Mike Tyson, Jake Paul (Pic: File Pic)
Mike Tyson was not in the mood to talk in the press conference before he takes on YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
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Mike Tyson had concise answers at the press conference, two nights before locking horns with Jake Paul, who is 31 years younger, at the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.
The issue of Tyson's health didn't come up in a small concert venue about 20 miles from AT&T Stadium. A bout originally scheduled for July 20 was postponed to Friday night after Tyson had to be treated for a stomach ulcer when he fell ill on a flight.
Mike Tyson in a documentary, promoting the fight said that he lost 26 pounds in the recovery process, but Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder with Paul of Most Valuable Promotions, said Tyson had been cleared medically for weeks.
Bidarian also said Tyson was going through the same regular medical checkups as any sanctioned pro-fight in Texas.
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Not many states were ready to permit the bout, but Texas agreed to a fight consisting of eight rounds instead of 10 or 12. Also, the rounds should be of two minutes instead of three and the gloves should be heavier to lower the power of punches.
"I've said everything I had to say", Tyson said in one of several attempts to get him to say more. "I'm just looking forward to fighting."
"It's cute", Paul said of the terse Tyson. "I fear no man, so I want him to be that old savage Mike."
Paul couldn't even get Tyson to respond by wearing what the 27-year-old said was a diamond-spiked ear cover. It was Paul's jab at Tyson over the Hall of Famer infamously biting the ear of Evander Holyfield in a 1997 fight.
Tyson did get briefly riled up when somebody asked twice what he would do if he lost. His last sanctioned bout was in 2005. Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition four years ago.
"I am not going to lose", Mike Tyson said, his voice rising the second time it was asked. "Did you hear what I said?"
Tyson was 50-6 with 44 knockouts before retiring 19 years ago. Paul is 10-1 with seven knockouts in less than five years as a pro, facing mostly mixed martial artists and journeymen boxers.
The fight will be the first combat sports event which will be streamed on Netflix and will be available at no additional cost to more than 280 million Netflix subscribers globally.
Jake Paul is a minus-200 betting favourite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. That means the payout for a Paul victory would be about half the amount of any bet.
The co-main event is a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for the undisputed super welterweight title.
Taylor won a split decision that many questioned in a slugfest at sold-out Madison Square Garden in 2022 in the first women's fight to headline at the famous venue.
Taylor and Serrano sat behind Mike Tyson and Paul on the stage, with the 10 fighters from the undercards on either side of Tyson and Paul.
(With AP Inputs)
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