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 insists he doesn’t care about his boxing legacy
“What do I care about my legacy?” Tyson said in a wide-ranging chat with Interview Magazine this week. “I never knew what a legacy was and people started throwing that word around so loosely. A legacy sounds like ego to me. I’m going to be dead soon. Who cares what somebody is going to think about me when I’m dead?”
Given the nature of Friday’s upcoming spectacle, it is perhaps telling that Tyson should choose to speak so fulsomely to a magazine founded in 1969 by Andy Warhol, who supposedly once opined that “everyone will be famous for 15 minutes”.
Lawrence Ostlere14 November 2024 10:13
Jake Paul trolls Mike Tyson with $100,000 ear cover after infamous bite
Jake Paul has trolled Mike Tyson by wearing a $100,000 ear cover in reference to the former heavyweight world champion’s infamous history with biting opponents.
Reports suggest the item from Vobara is worth six figures, with Paul acquiring it ahead of Friday’s bout on Netflix.
Paul made reference to protecting his ear in a swipe related to Tyson and his notorious move to chew down on rival Evander Holyfield’s ear in their 1997 heavyweight rematch.
Jack Rathborn14 November 2024 09:48
Mike Tyson insists he doesn’t care about his boxing legacy
Mike Tyson’s once-ferocious fighting career was already helter-skeltering towards its feeble conclusion when the video-sharing platform YouTube first flickered into life in February 2005.
Four months later, the so-called ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’, who had cut a swathe through the world’s best heavyweights towards the end of the 1980s, was crumpling in the corner under the less than concussive fists of Irishman Kevin McBride in Washington DC.
So it is hardly surprising that Tyson professes himself entirely unconcerned by criticism of his decision to end his 19-year hiatus from the ring and return at the age of 58 to face the YouTuber Jake Paul in Arlington, Texas on Friday night.
Lawrence Ostlere14 November 2024 09:17
Angry Jake Paul makes $1m bets with undercard boxers who predict he’ll lose to Mike Tyson
Alex Pattle14 November 2024 08:30
Tony Bellew crashes Tyson vs Paul press conference with ‘Fisher Price’ microphone – is quickly kicked out
Alex Pattle14 November 2024 08:00
Jake Paul reveals next fight after Mike Tyson: ‘It makes so much sense’
Paul, who is now 10-1 with seven knockouts and whose only defeat was on points to Tommy Fury, believes a cruiserweight bout against Alvarez for a version of the world title can be agreed for 2025.
“This moment will prove that I’m the face of boxing,” Paul said on Tuesday. “The largest attraction, and me vs Canelo at 200lbs for the cruiserweight world title is the biggest fight.”
Alex Pattle14 November 2024 07:30
Mike Tyson took ferocious approach in open workout for Jake Paul fight
Want to know how Tyson looked at Tuesday’s open workout?
How was his speed, power, attitude?
Alex Pattle14 November 2024 07:00
Jake Paul reveals ‘numb’ reaction to Mike Tyson pulling out of boxing fight
And here’s how Paul felt about Tyson’s withdrawal from the fight in May:
“When I received the news that he was out and not able to fight, I was just numb. I was just like, ‘f***…’ I’m the type of person who likes a schedule and likes to know what I’m doing. This just threw a wrench in all of that. There was nothing I could do, it was out of my control.”
Alex Pattle14 November 2024 06:30
Mike Tyson threw up blood on plane before Jake Paul fight was cancelled
Some of the concern for Tyson’s health stems not only from his age, but also from his health scare in late May.
The 58-year-old suffered an ulcer flare-up on a flight, forcing his bout with Paul to be delayed from July until this week.
And Tyson recently revealed that he was throwing up blood on the plane, when he went through his health scare.
Alex Pattle14 November 2024 06:00