Mike Tyson Admits ‘My Body is a Mess’ Ahead of Jake Paul Boxing Match

Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

With his fight against Jake Paul just over two months away, Mike Tyson gave a candid assessment of where he’s at in his training.

“I’m doing great but my body is s–t right now, I’m sore, I’m really sore,” Tyson said during a pre-fight press conference in New York on Monday.

Tyson will be 58 years old when he steps in the ring against Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a fight that will be streamed live on Netflix. The 31-year age gap will be the largest in professional boxing history.

A spokesperson for the Department of Licensing and Regulation told the Associated Press on April 30 that the fight between Tyson and Paul “will be a professional bout with a referee and judges and the results will count as part of the fighters’ professional records. So — it’s an actual competitive fight.”

The fight will feature eight two-minute rounds as opposed to the customary three-minute round for men’s professional fights. They will also be fighting with 14-ounce gloves instead of the standard 10-ounce gloves, which will reduce the power of their punches.

Tyson said during Monday’s press conference that he advocated for shorter rounds because he believes there will be more action since there’s less time to work. This will be his first fight since his November 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones Jr., which ended in a split draw.

Despite the condition of his body, Tyson was not short on confidence on Monday. He will be looking to put on a show against the former YouTuber when they meet in the ring.