Mike Tyson snaps as reporter touches a nerve with question about Jake Paul fight: 'Did you hear what I said?'
11/14/2024 06:14 AM
Mike Tyson doesn’t want to talk about potentially losing to Jake Paul.
The 58-year-old boxing legend will enter the ring as a sizeable underdog at AT&T Stadium in Texas on Friday night – but he refuses to entertain the prospect of falling short in his first fight since Kevin McBride retired him in 2005.
A brave reporter decided to ask ‘Iron Mike’ about what would happen if he lost his comeback fight.
Of course, it didn’t go well and led to a fiery encounter that has quickly gone viral on social media.
- READ MORE: Who is Mike Tyson? All you need to know about the boxing legend ahead of match with Jake Paul
Mike Tyson shuts down question about losing
On Wednesday evening, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson came together for a pre-fight press conference.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion was scarily quiet during the event, uttering just 21 words.
However, he still managed to go viral after clashing with a reporter curious about his fighting future.
She asked: “What will you lose if you lose this fight?”
“I’m not gonna lose,” Tyson replied to a chorus of cheers.
The reporter tried to get him to address her question properly, but before she could finish speaking, Tyson interjected and raised his voice while repeating his previous statement.
He said: “I am not going to lose! Did you hear what I said?”
More cheers echoed around the arena as the reporter said ‘Thank you’ and backed down.
Mike Tyson resassures fans ahead of controversial comeback
Many fight fans are seriously worried about Tyson returning to the ring against a man 31 years his junior.
The boxing icon heard their concerns before issuing a statement in response to the hysteria.
"Time changes [a person], I was a different person back then, and it's time for me to come back,” Tyson said.
"I was a different person [when I last fought professionally in 2005] … I was using narcotics and alcohol back then and I'm not that person anymore. I see a better picture of myself, I see light, I see the world from a different perspective now."
"Thank you very much for being concerned, but I am fighting… I'm going to be okay.
"I feel great; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I boxed for eight rounds. Listen, I'm sparring young guys and they're hitting me real hard; it wasn't a picnic when I first started training, these young guys gave me a shellacking at first."
“I'm doing my s***. I was born to do this, I was built for this stuff, I was born to sellout a Stadium – this is what I've wanted to do my whole entire life."
