Mike Tyson has announced a major career change ahead of his upcoming fight with Jake Paul.
Tyson will return to the ring to face Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in what will be the main event of a card that will air on Netflix.
The 57-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion has not fought since drawing with Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match in 2020, while his last professional bout came back in 2005 against Kevin McBridge, when he was beaten inside two rounds.
It is yet to be confirmed if his fight with Paul, 27, will be fully professional, a non-judged fight with pro rules or merely an exhibition bout.
Tyson’s decision to return to boxing has divided opinion, with some boxing fans concerned for the former heavyweight champion’s wellbeing.
Undeterred, Tyson has posted several videos of his training regime ahead of the fight, in which he looks in peak physical condition for a man of his age.
He is seemingly giving the fight his full focus, announcing on Wednesday that his podcast – Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson – had come to an end. Check out the video below.
Mike Tyson announces end to Hotboxin’ podcast
Credit: Instagram/MikeTyson
“Ladies and gentlemen, these are my final recordings of HotBoxin’,” said Tyson.
“I really enjoyed being a part of this journey and all the people that I met, the remarkable people that I met in interviews.
“And by now, for me, this is my next chapter in life. Please enjoy the following socials at Mike Tyson and MikeTyson.com for my next venture, please. I love you all.”
Tyson spoke to numerous high-profile guests on his podcast including Kevin Hart, Joe Rogan, Dana White, Tony Hawk, The Undertaker and Eminem.
His full focus will now on his upcoming bout with Paul.
Numerous high-profile names have already given their views on the controversial fight, including WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
The self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’ has supported Tyson returning to the sport and calls his against Paul an “even match”.
Speaking to The Stomping Ground, he said: “I think it’s fantastic for boxing.
“You’ve got a legend in Mike Tyson. You’ve got a YouTube boxer [Jake Paul]. He has come into the game and blew it up and he’s got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes. Good, bad or indifferent. Some people love him, some people hate him.
“So, I think it’s a really good spectacle for boxing. Brings a lot of people to the game.”
