Mike Tyson, who was once a heavyweight champion, announced that his decision to come back to the ring at the age of 57 was an easy one, despite facing criticism about his age affecting his comeback.
Tyson will face Jake Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
He admitted the physical strains of preparing for his return but expressed his determination to re-enter the boxing scene after retiring from professional boxing in 2005.
“It was a no-brainer,” said Tyson. “He’s a new up-and-coming guy on the scene. And I like shaking the sports world to its core and I am doing it now. It’s just something that I want to do.”
The professional match is scheduled to include eight two-minute rounds, officially approved by boxing authorities in Texas.
Meanwhile, Paul expressed readiness to face Tyson’s decades of experience and impressive strength.
“He’s a killer. He’s a warrior. He’s been doing this his whole life, so it’s second nature to him. I’ve only been doing this for four years and at a super high level,” said Paul. “On July 20, I’m going to show the world that I can outbox Mike Tyson and prove everyone wrong, and show that I’m going to be the one doing the killing.”
On the other hand, Tyson did not show any hostility towards his much younger rival.
“I really like Jake a lot. But once he’s in that ring, he has to fight like his life is depending on it, because it will be,” said Tyson.
The match will be livestreamed on Netflix on July 20.
Leave a comment