Boxing legend Mike Tyson's eight-word promise to Jake Paul

Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight world champion, has promised to knock out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their upcoming bout next month. The pair were initially set to fight earlier this year, but Tyson had to withdraw due to an ulcer flare-up.

However, the 58 year old is back in training and confident he'll be ready for the ring next month. The showdown will take place on November 15 at the AT&T Arena in Arlington, Texas, potentially in front of a crowd of up to 90,000.

The match has drawn criticism due to the significant age difference between the two fighters, with Tyson being 31 years older than Paul. Concerns over Tyson's health have been amplified after he recently confessed to having difficulty walking post-sparring.

Paul enters the fight fresh from a victory over Mike Perry. Tyson, on the other hand, hasn't participated in a professional match since his loss to Kevin McBride in 2005, although he did take part in an exhibition match against boxing legend Roy Jones Jr four years ago.

As the fight draws nearer, the pre-bout banter between the two fighters has escalated. An unexpected twist came through social media when both boxers shared videos of their inflatable alter egos trading barbs, reports the Mirror.

On X – the platform formerly known as Twitter – a video was posted by Most Valuable Promotions featuring the inflatables mockingly challenging each other. Tyson's inflatable is heard saying: "I can put this little YouTuber to sleep", whereas Paul's retorted with: "You, yeah you! Watch me put rusty Iron Mike to sleep, live on Netflix."

Just weeks away from facing Tyson, Paul has meticulously analysed the seasoned fighter's past performances, noting that he expects Tyson will "try to trap me on the ropes and then get blows off to angles on each side."

When Paul was quizzed about his plan for the fight, his strategy was clear: "To just box on the outside and then use my footwork to be more agile and get him chasing me and then attack him when he's out of position. That should frustrate him."

Some fans are sceptical about the 58 year old's commitment to his upcoming fight, but in a chat with Jimmy Kimmel, Mike Tyson—known as 'Iron Mike'—insisted on his rigorous schedule: "I am training extremely hard, I do six hours a day. I start at 11am and might leave the gym at 5pm," he claimed. The host, visibly shocked by Tyson's dedication, asked for clarification: "Oh no. 11am? So that's six hours straight, or is there a lunch break? " To which the boxing legend acknowledged a brief pause, prompting a startled Kimmel to exclaim: "Oh no."