Mike Tyson makes something clear about his legacy ahead of Jake Paul fight

Mike Tyson accomplished feats in boxing that few could match at such a young age. Now, at 58, he’s preparing to step back into the ring to face Jake Paul, a fighter 31 years his junior, who’s eager to tarnish “Iron” Mike’s legacy. However, Tyson doesn’t seem fazed by the challenge.

In 56 professional bouts, Tyson boasts a record of 50 victories (44 by knockout) and only 6 losses. But the significant age gap between the two fighters has raised concerns about Tyson’s health and legacy. When asked how this fight might impact his storied career, Tyson delivered a straightforward response.

“I didn’t take this fight for legacy,’ he said. ‘I think legacy really, to my perspective, legacy is ego. Who gives a f— how people think about them when they are gone?” Tyson said during a press conference held by LF*GO. “I’m dead. I can’t value off what somebody might think about me when I’m dead, so it means nothing to me,” he added.

When it comes to fitness, Tyson is clearly at a disadvantage—not just due to the age difference, but also considering their recent fight histories. Tyson’s last professional bout was nearly two decades ago, a 2005 loss to Kevin McBride. In contrast, Paul knocked out Mike Perry this July. It remains to be seen whether fitness will be the deciding factor or if Tyson’s experience will prevail.

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul face off at an exclusive press conference ahead of their November bout during the Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 at Jacob Javits Center on August 18, 2024 in New York City.

Tyson’s expectations for the fight

Tyson isn’t treating the fight against Jake Paul as a “walk in the park.” He made the decision to have the event recognized as a professional fight, meaning the result will affect both fighters’ official records. During a press conference, Tyson emphasized that Paul is taking the fight seriously—as he should.

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Mike Tyson gets real when talking about his motivation ahead of Jake Paul fight

While Paul has been more vocal on social media, taunting Tyson and showcasing his training, “Iron” Mike remains unshaken. When asked what he promises to bring to the fight, Tyson kept it simple: “A lot of pain.”

Tyson reveals his training routine

At 58 and after 19 years after his last fight, Tyson has a lot of work to do if he even wants to match Jake Paul’s form. So far, he’s been doing a different training session as he used years ago.

In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, “Iron” Mike shared some insight into his daily preparation: “I’m training extremely hard, I do six hours a day. I start at 11am and might leave the gym at 5pm. There’s a point where I finish doing my box and I get a massage for an hour, and then I go back to stretching.”