Mike Tyson has vowed to show his kids their old man is “very special” when they see him in the ring against Jake Paul on Friday night.

The legendary former world heavyweight champion will be back in the ring in a professionally sanctioned fight for the first time since his loss to Kevin McBride back in 2005. It will be his first appearance in a ring of any sort since his exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.

Tyson will have his children supporting him in the fight. His son, Amir, will be at the event as part of Netflix commentary team. And he has promised they will see him in a different light and realize exactly what he is capable of having seen him in the ring.

“Well, family is everything,” Tyson said after completing an open workout on Tuesday. “But to my children, I’m nobody. But that night they’re going to find out their father’s very special.”

He joked: “The night of the fight they’re going to realize they’d better watch it when they talk —- to me!”

Tyson declared he is now ready for the “party” after completing the hard yards in training camp for the fight, eventually scheduled to take place earlier this year before being postponed due to him suffering an ulcer flare-up on a flight.

“I’m tougher than I believed I was,” he declared. “Because I actually, when I agreed to this fight, I started training, I said, ‘what the —- am I thinking of?

“And now I finished the the process, and the fight’s the party. All the hard work is done.”

Tyson and Paul will meet in the ring on Friday, November 15

Tyson and Paul will meet in the ring on Friday, November 15 ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

Paul, meanwhile, insists Tyson will have a “short night” and provide a springboard for him to kickstart the next stage of his career.

“I’m just blessed to be here,” Paul said. “So grateful for all the fans that show up, and Dallas is going to be an amazing night on Friday. I’m just having fun, doing my thing. I feel really good. Sharp, powerful, explosive. It’s going to be a short night for Mike.”

“It’s not about how long you’ve been doing something, it’s about how good you do it. On Friday night, people are going to see me outbox the person that’s been doing it their whole life.

“Friday my dream comes true and my career starts. This is the beginning of an amazing journey. What I’ve done so far doesn’t matter – Friday night my career starts.”