Paul vs Tyson LIVE: Weigh-in updates after Jake Paul makes outrageous bets and insults rival
Both Jake Paul and Mike Tyson share a stage before their boxing match on Netflix
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are just a day away from one of the biggest and most controversial fights in boxing in years, as they prepare to square off on Netflix.
And ahead of their officially-sanctioned, professional bout, the Americans shared a stage at Toyota Music Factory in Dallas on Wednesday (13 November), with Paul making $1m bets and retired boxing champion Tony Bellew crashing proceedings.
Bellew was in the crowd wearing a T-shirt showing the logo of betting site Paddy Power, and he was standing alongside an older man in a boxing robe and gloves. Bellew also had a microphone, with which he spoke over a journalist who was asking a question inside Toyota Music Factory.
Bellew’s words were difficult to hear, but he appeared to call Paul a “clown”, while host Ariel Helwani tried to drown out the 41-year-old, comparing Bellew’s microphone to a “Fisher Price” toy.
Later, Paul lost his cool at the undercard boxers who predicted he will lose to Tyson, making $1m bets with several of them. Next up, tonight, is the weigh-in. Re-live the press conference below.
Mike Tyson’s wife urges heavyweight not to fight Jake Paul
“This fight is not going to change my life financially,” Tyson told Sport Bible.
“If I did it for free, it’s not going to change my life. My wife is constantly telling me, you do not need to do this fight. This is what I want to do, this is me. I’m seeking my glory.”
The awkward truth behind Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson
here is no hate, no love, the gloves are big and the rounds will be short when Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight on Friday night.
It makes no difference if the men share fifty million dollars for their carnival night in a Texas ring. It is one of the purest fights for money in the dirty, old boxing game; it’s not personal, it’s just cash. And, lots of it.
Tyson is 58 now, reformed, grey at the edges, his eyes have softened with his belly and each attempt at spitting venom sounds fake. Well, it probably is, so what? He was once Iron Mike, the youngest heavyweight champion in history, so please show some respect.
Read more from Steve Bunce here.
Tyson ignores Paul’s jibes as fight nears
Cleveland-born Paul, who lost to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia last year, repeatedly tried to goad Tyson and was typically more forthcoming than the boxing great.
Paul showed off a diamond spiked ear cover in reference to Tyson’s bite on Evander Holyfield in 1997 and insisted the fight would not go the distance.
“Someone’s getting put to sleep. It’s going to be a war and we’re both heavy hitters. It’s not going the full 16 minutes,” Paul promised.
Paul also offered bets to the other boxers in attendance that backed Tyson for victory with an overall 9-3 score in favour of the veteran from the under-card fighters.
The final word of a 30-minute press conference was given to Tyson, who once again stated: “I’m just ready to fight.”
A low-key face-off followed before Tyson bowed his head and walked off with all eyes on if Friday’s bout can play out without incident.
Tyson ignores Paul’s jibes as fight nears
Quizzed on what a loss would do to him, ‘Iron Mike’ showed a flicker of his old self.
“I’m not going to lose,” Tyson snapped back. “I am not going to lose. Did you hear what I said?”
Given the considerable age gap between the fighters, Paul, 27, has been installed as the favourite.
But Tyson said: “Thank you. Hey, I’m fine with everything, I’m fine with everything. I am just interested in this fight here. I am not talking about fighting anybody, only Jake.”
Tyson ignores Paul’s jibes as fight nears
“Are you talking to me? Yes I am back. I am just happy to be here. I love you too,” Tyson told a press conference after a delayed walk-in.
“I’m just ready to fight. I’ve said everything I had to say, there’s nothing else to say. I’m just looking forward to fighting.”
This fight, which was pushed back from July, will count on Tyson’s professional record, but will only consist of eight two-minute rounds and 14oz gloves will be used rather than the traditional 10oz.
Asked for a response to people who say this is not a professional fight, Tyson replied: “Well, erm. The people (here) speak for itself. I don’t have to answer.”
Tyson ignores Paul’s jibes as fight nears
A weary-looking Mike Tyson uttered only 135 words during a bizarre press conference before Friday’s fight with Jake Paul, but insisted he was ready for the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
Former world heavyweight champion Tyson (50-6, 44KOs) will step back into the ring for a first professional bout in 19 years at AT&T Stadium in a fight which will be streamed on Netflix.
Tyson took part in an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr in 2020, but will be up against an opponent 31 years his junior on Friday and appeared disengaged during Wednesday’s press conference in Texas.
Host Ariel Helwani attempted to broach a number of topics with Tyson and put questions to media inside the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, but the 58-year-old was not ready to bite.
Tyson stays quiet in tense press conference
Mike Tyson wasn’t in the mood for talking in the final news conference before the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion faces YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Tyson had terse answers for all the questions Wednesday night, two nights before the fight against Paul, who is 31 years younger, at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
“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,” Tyson said, his voice rising the second time it was asked. “Did you hear what I said?”
Jake Paul-Mike Tyson expected to drive record betting
Paul is betting on himself to beat boxing legend Tyson when the pair meet in the ring in Texas on Friday in what the social media star turned prizefighter predicts will be a slugfest. The 27-year-old Paul, who is more than three decades Tyson’s junior, said he hoped for a vintage performance from “Iron Mike,” who will be fighting in his first professional bout since 2005.
Paul and Tyson’s made-for-Netflix fight has oddsmakers anticipating record wagering for a boxing match. “We expect the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight to be the most bet on boxing match in BetMGM history,” senior trader Alex Rella said.
Mike Tyson insists he doesn’t care about his boxing legacy
“I tried this spiritual medicine called the toad,” Tyson said. “You see a toad, you bust its puss, you put it on like a mirror, and it gets hard. You rub it down until it become fine sand, and then you smoke it. Then you meet God. And this is what God told me to do.”
Fans whose parents were barely out of their teens the last time he laced on a pair of boxing gloves will form the majority of the expected multi-million TV audience, and it says it all that Paul - who was born five months before his ‘Bite Fight’ loss to Evander Holyfield in 1997, should have selected him as the ultimate reality TV foe.
“You’ve got a YouTuber that has 70million fans,” Tyson added. “No champion has that many fans. And I’m the greatest fighter since the beginning of life, so what does that make?
“That makes an explosion of excitement. And that’s what life is about - making the biggest impact before you die.”
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