Mike Tyson has released training footage ahead of his upcoming fight with Jake Paul, with the former heavyweight champion appearing to be in impressive shape.
The 58-year-old had been due to face Paul on July 20 in Texas, but that was postponed after Tyson was forced to halt training following an ulcer flare up.
The pair will now fight on November 15 in what has been sanctioned as a professional bout and Tyson has provided an update on his camp ahead of his return to the ring.
A video posted on his YouTube account shows Tyson working on the heavy bag and sparring, while he also showed off his ripped physique with just a few weeks to go until he faces Paul.
Muhammad Ali’s former manager Gene Kilroy visited the gym and was shocked at the shape Tyson was in.
“This is the strongest I’ve ever seen you, and I’ve known you since you were 13,” Kilroy said.
“This impressed the s*** out of me and nothing impresses me. I’m going to tell you the truth, I don’t like – I was worried about him travelling here, travelling there. I can sleep now at night. This is great.”
In a recent social media post, Tyson said: “While Jake keeps talking, I’m going to keep training. Going to f*** him up.”
Tyson was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, doing so from 1987 until he was stunned by Buster Douglas three years late in Japan.
It is nearly 20 years since Tyson’s last professional bout, when he retired against Kevin McBride in 2005, to suffer the sixth defeat of his career, though he did return to the ring four years ago for an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Tyson revealed his motivation for going up against Paul, a man more than 30 years younger than him.
“I’m a glory junkie,” he said. “I love people thinking about me all day.
“I’d rather live a short life of glory than a long life of obscurity. It’s just who I am.
“This is all I started fighting for – to get all this f****** status. I’m going to be chasing it for the rest of my life. I know that. I’m never going to get what I want, because I’m one of those gluttons for pain. I can never get enough.”
