Mike Tyson has never been one to back away from a challenge and at nearly 60 years old, the former heavyweight champion is proving that age is just another opponent to overcome.
In a recent interview, Tyson opened up about his rematch ambitions with Jake Paul and shared fresh insight into his highly anticipated fight with Floyd Mayweather.
Reflecting on his last bout with Jake Paul, Tyson was candid about the lessons learned.
“I just keep moving, I don't stop, you know what I mean? Big wheels keep moving, they don't stop and I was really ill,” Iron Mike told Hard Rock Bet.
“I didn't want to use that for an excuse, but I had some real bad health problems, but I'm fine now. I have no excuses. I feel good right now, this is the best I've felt. I can’t wait to start getting in the ring.
“I left a lot of my fight in the gym. I worked too hard. I was too extreme. I need to relax more,” he said.
Jake Paul beat Mike Tyson by majority decision last November
|REUTERS
“I'm getting more and more confident, and I believe I'll be better in the next fight coming up… I'm just hoping, after this Floyd fight, maybe we can have a rematch. Yes, I would be interested in that.”
Tyson and Paul infamously clashed in the ring last November in an affair that was dubbed one of the most controversial fights in boxing history due to the vast age difference.
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Paul, aged 27 at the time, managed to claim victory over one of boxing's greatest figures, who was 58, via a points decision.
But the fight was shrouded in controversy, not least the huge age gap, which is the biggest in professional boxing history - professional being used in the loosest terms.
The fight was originally scheduled for May only for it to be postponed after Tyson suffered health complications, further indicating that this was perhaps not the best idea.
When asked about Paul’s performance, Tyson was respectful but determined. “He did well, but I want to try it again,” he said.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul's fight turned out to be a drab affair
|GETTY
But first, there’s unfinished business with Floyd Mayweather. While rumors have circulated about Mayweather facing Manny Pacquiao in March, Tyson dismissed the speculation.
“I wish I could give you some input, but I have no idea what you're talking about as far as those two guys fighting,” he clarified. “He definitely reigns with the greats, there's no doubt. He put in his work.”
As for his own showdown with Mayweather, Tyson expects something monumental.
“It probably supersedes all my fights I ever have. It’s capable of doing that. And this is really serious,” he said.
Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson have agreed to meet in the boxing ring
| GETTY“It’s going to supersede all the fights and all the glory he had before this. This is taking boxing to a new level. Almost God status.”
Asked if he sees himself knocking Mayweather out, Tyson didn’t hesitate. “It looks that way, as I anticipated. It looks like he's going to get knocked out.”
Though details remain unclear — “maybe in March or April,” Tyson guessed — his motivation is simple: business and legacy. “I fight people because they're my friends, you know. How are people going to get this money? This is what fighting's all about. It’s about business.”