(This story was originally published Sept. 13 on USATODAY.com)
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.
For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.
