A pre-fight press conference with Jake Paul and Mike Tyson brought out the hype in full force.Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions
CLEVELAND, Ohio – It wouldn’t be a boxing match without the hype.
It’s fighters’ hands and footwork that are put to the test in the ring, but ahead of time – at press-conferences, weigh-ins and the like - it’s their mouths that get a workout. And this week, that’s exactly what happened between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.
The two – who are set to square off Saturday, July 20, in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - met the media and brought their swagger on Thursday.
The crowd reportedly booed Paul, who responded in kind: “Hey Dallas, shut the f--- up. Y’all keep booing, I’m going to keep doing. That’s how y’all want to do it? … I told y’all [you’re] the ultimate f------ hillbillies. Go milk a cow.”
Paul, who grew up in Westlake, is 9-1 with 6 knockouts. Tyson, a former heavyweight champion, is 50-6 with 44 KOs. The eight-round fight with two-minute rounds will air on Netflix.
He added: “I hope y’all keep that same energy when I knock this old man the f--- out. Clearly, they don’t have a high IQ in here, but that’s a federal crime.”
Douglas was a huge underdog in a 1990 fight against Tyson. In the 10th round of their bout, Douglas became the first fighter to knock down and defeat the champion. In retirement his weight ballooned.
At Thursday’s press conference, Tyson was succinct in his reply and prediction, saying, “I started Jake off and I’m gonna finish him.”
The co-main event pits super lightweight world champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) against unified featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
Paul didn’t waver in his prediction of his fight.
“What I promise to the people is on July 20th, Mike will be put to sleep and he will feel my power and I will go down as the man who put Tyson to sleep for the last time.”
Tyson will be 58 when the fight takes place. Paul is 27.
When asked if he is risking serious injury going up against someone that much younger, Tyson said, “I don’t know if he’s in his prime. He’s fat. He should be lean and mean and he’s fat and funky. I saw him with his shirt off though and he’s fat.”
Paul replied: “Hey, Buster Douglas was fat. Am I right? I know, but you know Buster Douglas, I’m better. I’m going to end you quicker than he did and you’ll remember that forever. You started me off. (Paul made his pro boxing debut on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.) I appreciate that. Mike, I love you. I love you like a father loves his son, but I must discipline you. You’re going down, man.”
