Mike Tyson revealed he had second thoughts about stepping back into the ring, wondering “what the f—” he was getting himself into when he signed up for a bout with Jake Paul. Tyson, 58, is gearing up for his return to the squared circle this Friday in Texas against the YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul.

The boxing icon hasn’t thrown punches in an official match since calling it quits during his fight with Kevin McBride in 2005 and last made an exhibition appearance opposite Roy Jones Jr four years ago. An inflamed ulcer threw a wrench in the works, pushing the fight out from its original July slot to this week.

Despite the hiccups, Tyson assured everyone that he’s more than ready, as seen in an energetic demonstration with his trainer on Tuesday.

Reflecting on his journey back, Tyson confessed: “That I’m tougher than I believed I was, because when I agreed to this fight and started training, I thought: ‘What the f— am I thinking of? ‘ But now I’ve finished the process, the fight is the party. Never in a million years did I think I would be fighting him.”

On the flip side, Paul boasts a record bearing 10 victories across 11 professional engagements, having faced off primarily against former MMA stalwarts like Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz.

Paul enters the fray as the favorite, wielding not just confidence but also a substantial 31-year age advantage over the seasoned vet Tyson.

Mike Tyson on the pads

Mike Tyson on the pads ( 

Image:

AP)

“I’m just blessed to be here, so grateful to all the fans who showed up,” he expressed post-workout. “Dallas is going to be an amazing night on Friday. I’m just having fun doing my thing. I feel really good, sharp and explosive, and 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, people are going to see me out-box the person who’s been doing it their whole life.”

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“We are an unstoppable force and on Friday, my dreams come true and my career starts. This is the start of an amazing journey, it doesn’t matter what I’ve done before, my career starts now.”

Paul also had a message for his mum, who was watching on after admitting she is wary of Tyson’s power despite his advancing years.

“She’s nervous,” he added. “She doesn’t like watching Mike Tyson throw punches because she’s a little bit scared. Mum, I promise you I was built for this, I was destined for this. The God’s have got me, the universe has got me and I, Jake Joseph Paul, will knock out Mike Tyson. It is written in the f—— history books.”