Mike Tyson has bizarrely claimed Jake Paul once gave him ‘an erection’ when he saw a video of the YouTuber-turned-boxer dancing as a 16-year-old.
The pair traded insults and expletives in Texas on Thursday night as they previewed their fight close to the 80,000-seat home of the Dallas Cowboys that will stage it.
But the press conference took a bizarre turn when Paul initially said he wanted to ‘kiss Mike’s big juicy lips.’
The moderator then turned to Tyson for a response and the 57-year-old went on to make a staggering claim.
In response, the former world heavyweight champion said: ‘He wanted to kiss me?
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Mike Tyson has bizarrely claimed Jake Paul once gave him ‘an erection’ when he was just 16
The pair traded insults and expletives in Texas on Thursday night as they previewed their fight
‘That’s so ironic that he said that because I saw pictures of him dancing at 16, doing that little dance on YouTube and for some reason I had an erection.’
Paul was unmoved by the comment but it prompted an awkward response from the thousands of fans who had gathered for the event.
Paul continued to downplay the suggestion that he still hasn’t had a legitimate opponent, while Tyson simply refused to answer a question about his age.
The former heavyweight champion will be 58 on July 20, when the fight is set for AT&T Stadium.
‘I don’t see too many people critical about it. Look at this,’ Tyson said, pointing to the raucous crowd at an entertainment venue near the site of the fight.
When a reporter suggested there were critics, Tyson said, ‘Who? Name me somebody. You? Who?’
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is sanctioning the fight as a professional bout, but it will be eight two-minute rounds instead of 10 or 12 rounds lasting three minutes each. The gloves will be heavier (14 ounces instead of 10), which is supposed to reduce the power of punches.
Tyson retired in 2005, but most recently fought in an exhibition in November 2020 against Roy Jones in California, which wouldn’t declare it a pro fight.
Tyson was mostly annoyed by the scene and the questions, including when asked what it meant to have a chance to fill AT&T Stadium.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is sanctioning it as a professional fight
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are the co-main event in a rematch of their 2022 slugfest
‘I was doing this years ago, so this is nothing new to me,’ said Tyson, who won 50 fights with 44 knockouts before retiring. ‘This is new to this young boy over here.’
Entering to loud boos, Paul answered with foul language and derogatory gestures, then encouraged and led an expletive-laden chant directed at him by the pro-Tyson crowd.
‘I hope you all keep that same energy when I knock this old man out,’ Paul said.
Paul has nine wins in 10 fights, three since his only loss to Tommy Fury, the young half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. One of the recent wins was in nearby Dallas against former UFC fighter Nate Diaz.
‘In due time, I will be fighting for a world championship,’ Paul said to the suggestion that he hasn’t fought a legitimate opponent, which also drew the ire of Tyson. ‘And I will be making you eat your own words.’
Netflix is carrying the fight live, a first for the streaming platform. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are the co-main event in a rematch of their slugfest at Madison Square Garden two years ago.
Paul built a significant fan following as a YouTube influencer before he embarked on a professional boxing career four years ago. Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987-90.
‘I respect Mike,’ Paul said. ‘But it´s time. It´s my time now. I will go down as the man who put down Mike Tyson for the last time.’
