EXCLUSIVE
‘I’m going to slaughter him’ – Mike Tyson says his own mother wouldn’t be safe in the ring in chilling warning to Jake Paul
Mike Tyson is concerned Jake Paul will avoid a slug-fest in their upcoming clash.
Tyson will stunningly return to the ring aged 58 in a huge showdown with Paul on November 15, a bout which will be sanctioned and count on the pair's professional records.
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Tyson will be expected to be aggressive and chase a stoppage in front of the 80,000 crowd at the At&T Stadium in Texas.
The fight will be contested over eight two-minute rounds, a format which could favour the heavy handed legend.
And he believes that Paul's tactics could be negative given the imminent threat of his power despite his age.
Asked if he feared for Paul given what he is up against, he told talkSPORT's Adam Catterall in an exclusive interview that Paul knows what he's getting into.
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"Whoever is in that ring has a problem with me," he said. "If my mother stepped into the ring she has a problem with me. Don't go in that ring if you don’t want that problem."
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That warning was chilling and a reminder to Paul and his fans what he is getting himself into. In his prime, he was the youngest ever heavyweight champion having torn through the heavyweight division in the 1980s.
In his heyday, his power was second to none and could often beat opponents before the first bell even rang.
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Famously, the Hall of Famer once said that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth and, asked what he expected when Paul felt his forced, the former undisputed heavyweight champion said: “I see him running around and I have to try and catch him and slaughter him.
“He’s a good little fighter but he’s only had ten fights which is considered as an amateur in our field."
Paul has been bulking up to around 230lbs to try and match the former undisputed heavyweight champion's power.
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He has regularly spoken about how he is 'fearful' of the legend's power, which culminated in him carrying an 88 per cent KO ratio during his professional career.
Despite being far from his heyday that could see him win a fight before the first bell, Tyson has shown he still packs a ferocious punch, releasing training footage of his crunching shots in camp.
The veteran has even dropped a partner while sparring in preparation, a warning to the 'Problem Child' that he should be taken seriously despite his age.
Paul is certain he is taking Tyson seriously, and believes his physical advantages will counter the legend's natural power.
He said: "He can’t bite my ear off if I knock his teeth out.
"I'm the faster man. He’s the much stronger man, but I’m fresh. He’s experienced.
";I’m smart but in the ring he may be smarter, so it’s a really interesting match-up.
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"It’s going to be tough. He looks like a beast, he’s a dog, he’s 'Iron' Mike Tyson.
"But I believe I have what it takes to beat him and I know this is the toughest test of my life and it’s an honour to be in there with Mike,
"But at the end of the day I’m going to be the one who gets my hand raised."
Paul and Tyson's bout will see the pair meet 31 years of age apart, and at vastly different levels physically.
Although it represents a significant payday for the heavyweight legend, who is expected to earn around $20 million.
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Tyson hasn't fought competitively since 2005 when he retired after three defeats in his final four outings, including in his final bow against Kevin McBride.
But he will confident after an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr in 2020, that he has enough to get the job done against the lesser experienced Paul.
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