Current:Home > MarketsWhy is Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul? He says it's not about the money-LoTradeCoin
Why is Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul? He says it's not about the money
View Date:2025-01-14 02:20:45
He’s 58 years old and indicates there’s no need for money. So why is Mike Tyson moving forward with his fight against 27-year-old Jake Paul?
“I could be waiting on a check every day from cannabis,’’ Tyson said, referring to his cannabis company, Tyson 2.0. “That’s (B.S.) for me. I’m a man. … I want to go out there and I want to expose myself to risk. …
“Sometimes I want to see who I really am. I want to see what I'm really made out of."
Tyson, who was sidelined for weeks after an ulcer flareup, made the remarks while providing commentary Friday night during Cage Wars 67, a mixed martial arts event in New York. Previously, he had been less clear about his motivation for the bout against Paul to be held on Nov. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
"I want to perform in front of the world,'' Tyson said. "To me, that's all I ever knew how to do since I was 14.''
On Friday night, he expressed enthusiasm for the fights as he sat ringside with his son Amir at Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, New York, about 180 miles from where he grew up in Brooklyn and about 50 miles from where he developed into a heavyweight world champion under the watch of the late Cus D’Amato.
But the regular two commentators for Cage Wars periodically brought the conversation back to Tyson and his fight with Paul, which is set to be livestreamed by Netflix. Paul recently said he would make $40 million from the fight, but Tyson downplayed the financial incentive.
“This fight is not going to change my life financially enough,’’ Tyson said. “This is just what I want to do.’’
Regarding the ulcer flareup that led to the fight being postponed, Tyson said he has no more ulcers and his “blood count is almost back.’’
Tyson resumed training in July, according to his agent Andrew Ruf.
Mike Tyson says it's 'hard to walk'
With the fight two months away, Tyson said he recently sparred six rounds. He said that will increase to 10 rounds as he prepares for a bout scheduled for eight two-minute rounds.
“The fight is won in the gym,’’ Tyson said.
But he acknowledged that training at 58 rather than, say, 20 – when he became the youngest heavyweight world champion in boxing history – is a different experience. Things are “a little shaky now,’’ according to Tyson.
“It’s hard to walk right now,’’ he said. “But two months from now I’m going to be perfect.’’
For recovery, Tyson is using electric stimulation and stem cells.
“Listen, I’ll do anything that will help me,’’ he said.
veryGood! (342)
Related
- 'SNL' stars jokingly declare support for Trump, Dana Carvey plays Elon Musk
- Australian woman faces 3 charges of murder after her guests died from eating poisonous mushrooms
- Matthew Perry Laid to Rest at Private Funeral Attended by Friends Cast
- Lionel Messi will be celebrated for latest Ballon d'Or before Inter Miami-NYCFC friendly
- Report: Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence could miss rest of season with shoulder injury
- Maleesa Mooney Case: Autopsy Reveals Model Was Not Pregnant at Time of Death
- Israel’s fortified underground blood bank processes unprecedented amounts as troops move into Gaza
- Why everyone in the labor market is being picky
- Martin Scorsese on faith in filmmaking, ‘The Saints’ and what his next movie might be
- King Charles III meets with religious leaders to promote peace on the final day of his Kenya visit
Ranking
- Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings
- What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening
- Blinken warns Israel that humanitarian conditions in Gaza must improve to have ‘partners for peace’
- Meloni pushes change to let voters directly elect Italy’s premier in bid to make governments last
- Biden, Harris participate in Veterans Day ceremony | The Excerpt
- Long distance! Wrongly measured 3-point line on Nuggets’ court fixed ahead of tipoff with Mavericks
- Earthquake rocks northwest Nepal, felt as far as India’s capital
- No police investigation for husband of Norway’s ex-prime minister over stock trades
Recommendation
-
After years of unrest, Commanders have reinvented their culture and shattered expectations
-
Riley Keough Debuts Jet-Black Hair in Dramatic Transformation
-
Why Hilarie Burton's Kids Call Her a Nobody Compared to Famous Dad Jeffrey Dean Morgan
-
As billions roll in to fight the US opioid epidemic, one county shows how recovery can work
-
Georgia remains part of College Football Playoff bracket projection despite loss
-
These Are the Early Black Friday 2023 Sales Worth Shopping Right Now
-
Ex-Missouri teacher says her OnlyFans page was a necessity, didn't violate school policies
-
Two former Northwestern football players say they experienced racism in program in 2000s