The 57-year-old former heavyweight champion will face the YouTube star-turned-boxer in a sanctioned bout this summer. Why? That's up for interpretation.
Enter at 126th St., read the email to reporters covering Monday’s press conference to promote the fight—yes, the—between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, though by 4:30 pm, the designated time for media to arrive at the rear entrance of the famed Apollo Theatre, the line had snaked down to 125th. The crowd for the open-to-the-public event formed even earlier out front, with the first fan staking out a spot at 6 a.m. and hundreds pushing up against the entrance before noon.
So why would Tyson, who will be 58 when the first bell rings this summer, want to get in the ring with the 27-year old Paul? It was a little surreal watching Tyson. Before his last big fight—against Lennox Lewis in 2002—the press conference ended with Tyson biting Lewis’s leg. This one finished with a halfhearted face off where Tyson and Paul exchanged playful jabs, looking more like old pals than in-ring rivals. Asked about his training, Tyson said it was going great, but conceded his “body is s— right now.” He said that he and Paul were “friends” and that he was impressed with all Paul has accomplished.
Paul, who began boxing after achieving fame on social media, has a 9–1 official record. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
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