Mike Tyson and Jake Paul’s seven-hour meeting has changed people’s minds about their upcoming fight.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul’s seven-hour meeting has changed people’s minds about their upcoming fight.
Earlier this month it was announced that Paul, 27 would take on former unified heavyweight champion Tyson, 57 in a boxing match in Texas on July 20.
Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, has competed in 10 professional bouts in his burgeoning career, earning a record of nine wins and one defeat.
Meanwhile, Tyson is widely considered to be among the greatest boxers of all time, having become the youngest heavyweight champion in history at just 20 and the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles.
The fight has drawn a swathe of pessimism from certain quarters namely because of the 30-year age gap between the pair, and because Tyson and Paul have previously appeared to have shared a good relationship.
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However, things have reportedly become considerably less amicable in the build-up to the fight.
On the ‘BS with Jake Paul’ podcast, Brandon Amato said: “What was interesting too was about the dynamic between you guys during that whole shoot. In the past, you and Mike have been friendly, but you weren’t friendly the whole time.
“We were there for like seven hours, there was no friendly laughing or giggling, it was like a different mode you guys were in.”
Paul confirmed the animosity, replying: “When you sign the contract, something changes, right?
Tyson is widely considered among the greatest fighters of all time (Getty)
“Even if we want to feel that, but it’s like we are facing off, obviously, I love him and respect him so much.
“I’m honoured to be going into the ring with him, but we are f***ing fighting each other.”
Tyson handed Paul a platform in the early stages of the latter’s boxing career. Indeed, Paul fought Nate Robinson on the undercard of Tyson’s exhibition with Roy Jones Jr in 2020.
