In just over two weeks, one of the most eagerly awaited fights of the year will unfold at the Cowboys Stadium. On November 15, nearly twenty years after he retired from professional boxing, Mike Tyson will once again step into the ring. Facing him will be 27-year-old Jake Paul. The duo would have clashed earlier. However, overwhelming concerns emerged following Tyson’s mid-air health emergency. So the fight scheduled for July 20 had to be canceled and rescheduled.

A few days after the scare, reports emerged that ‘Iron’ Mike had gradually resumed his training. The Netflix bout will be an eight-round affair, with each round lasting 2 minutes. Per available reports, Tyson and Paul might be wearing 14-ounce gloves. Over discussions, taunts, memes, and trolls, the former heavyweight champion and the YouTuber-turned-fighter have been preparing intensely. As he stares at the upcoming fight, during an interview, Tyson laid bare his innermost thoughts about the upcoming match.

Mike Tyson: Show what you’ve got, Jake Paul!

Boxing’s youngest heavyweight champion was speaking with Mike Doocy from Fox 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. The sports anchor asked Tyson about his training and how he felt training at his current age. It seems Doocy wasn’t too familiar with Jake Paul’s boxing skills. So he asked Tyson, “Do you think he’s a legitimate boxer?” The boxing legend replied that the Ohioan could fight but added that not at a level where he stood.

“How long do you think this thing will last?” The next question followed. “Not long,” Mike Tyson responded. “Soon as I catch him, because he’s going to run like a thief. I don’t see how he’s going to fight by running all day,” he explained.

According to Iron Mike, given that Jake Paul is 30 years younger than him, many believe that there shouldn’t be any problem for him to defeat an old man like him. However, despite the sheer age gap, the fact remains that Paul will not be able to handle the challenge. There’s a good chance that he might avoid a headlong confrontation.

The response seemingly roused Mike Doocy’s curiosity. He asked, “So he can’t stand toe-to-toe and punch with you?” “Well, I think he should try it,” replied Tyson. Given that he is much older and past his prime, Jake Paul should be able to withstand the physical challenges that often come with a direct confrontation. “He should be able to handle punches from an old weathering man like me,” said ‘Iron’ Mike.

Endlessly training, perpetually ready

The training clips of Tyson have been going quite viral. “I’m just getting started,” the former champion wrote on one of his Instagram posts a few days ago. The attached video featured him in an intense sparring session. In the footage, he clobbered his sparring partner with a flurry of combinations. Unable to withstand the attack, the partner found himself crashing against the ropes.

Finally calling a halt to the session, trainer Rafael Cordeiro jumped in and told Mike Tyson, “It was good for today.” However, the former heavyweight champion didn’t seem convinced. He felt that he could go on further. He kept on asking, “Are you sure?” As Cordeiro helped him in removing the headgear, ‘Iron’ Mike stated, “I got a lot in me. I’m just getting started.”

The clip hyped up several fans. Regardless of the fight’s outcome, it is indeed a remarkable achievement for a 58-year-old man to display such high energy. During the Fox 4 interview, when Doocy touched on the age issue, Tyson said that he can’t be compared with others his age. The level of training that he has been undergoing for so many years is altogether different. “I’m just a different species of human being,” he emphasized.

What do you feel after going through Mike Tyson’s training footage?