Was it mind games? A last-ditch attempt to get under his opponent’s skin? Or was it the clearest sign yet that his heart’s not truly in it?
Mike Tyson uttered just 27 words in response to four questions by the time Ariel Helwani – host of the official fight press conference in Texas on Wednesday night – opened the floor to media questions.
It was a strangely low-key performance from Tyson, not only a legend of the sport but one of the most famous athletes of all time, for good and bad.
To paraphrase Helwani’s first question, he essentially asked Tyson if he was back to somewhere near his best ahead of his intriguing and divisive fight with influencer Jake Paul, which will be streamed live on Netflix on Friday night.
‘I’m back, yeah,’ Tyson responded. ‘I’m just happy to be here.’
The second question came courtesy of Paul, preparing for his 12th pro bout. ‘He says he’s going to kill me,’ said the YouTuber-turned-boxer. ‘Is that true, Mike? I’m ready. I want that killer. I don’t want any excuses when I knock you out.’
In response, Tyson said: ‘I’m just ready, that’s all I can say. I’m just ready.’
Helwani then brought up a quote Tyson recently gave in which he described Paul as a ‘manufactured killer, not a natural-born killer’ like himself.
‘Yeah, that’s what I said,’ Tyson said, before being asked to expand on what he meant. ‘It’s just what I said.’
The final question in the formal part of the press conference was in reference to Cus D’Amato, the man who rescued Tyson from the streets and turned him into the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.
‘He would be very happy,’ Tyson said when asked what his mentor would think of the fight. And how would Cus tell him to beat Paul? ‘He would be very happy.’
It’s not unusual for fighters to shut down as they approach fight night, their minds naturally fixated on the significance of what’s to come, the rewards for winning and the repercussions for losing.
Many fighters also feel uneasy in front of the media, which Helwani in fact pointed out as he attempted to grill Ireland’s softly-spoken, classy in-and-out-the-ring Katie Taylor.
Tyson produced some of the most foul-mouthed, controversial outbursts in boxing history during his heyday, once telling a fan ‘I’ll f*** you till you love me, f*****!’
He’s certainly mellowed in recent years, but it’s still rare to see a fighter offer so little, particularly at an event literally designed to ignite interest.
The slightly awkward atmosphere did not go unnoticed by Taylor’s opponent Amanda Serrano, who expressed sympathy for her fellow New Yorker who was conducting the presser.
‘First of all I want to ask you how you’re doing right now Ariel? I know you’re in a tough spot right now!’ she said, giggling.
Tyson’s persona was not lost on fans inside the Toyota Music Factory, either, with one asking ‘what was up with Mike?’ as we left the arena.
If you were feeling generous you could call it laidback and focused – not such a bad state of mind during fight week – but others thought he looked disinterested, unmotivated, even.
The fact Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are, by all accounts, on pretty good terms is likely a factor. Make no mistake Tyson wants to win – a seventh L on his professional record awaits if he doesn’t – but he clearly has no hate for Paul.
Another generous take is that ‘Iron Mike’ was trying to get under Paul’s skin, attempting to irk someone who’s entire life and career is centred around online traction, attention and views.
The 27-year-old was likely a little peeved that a big night for his boxing career and brand was turning into a damp squib and said as much, describing Tyson’s responses as ‘f*****g boring’.
‘There’s been a lot of s*** talk online, you saying you’re going to kill me, and just nothing in person,’ Jake said. ‘It’s… I don’t know, it’s pretty boring. Pretty f*****g boring.’
Perhaps that explains why the novice boxer, who has over 20 million subscribers on YouTube, took matters into his own hands and provided the highlight of the press conference, approaching every single fighter on the undercard that had predicted a Mike Tyson win and asking them to put their money where their mouth is.
‘I will shake all your hands and take your money,’ Jake said as he called out the likes of Mario Barrios, Neeraj Goyat and even Katie Taylor. ‘I will get these contracts signed.’
American fighter Bruce Carrington may have been sitting on stage with his NABF and WBO inter-continental featherweight titles but he too looked sheepish in the face of Jake Paul.
‘How much do you want to lose?’ he asked the influencer, who brutally responded: ‘Bro, I make more money in the time I take a s**t than you will your whole life. Shut the f*** up.’
It’s possible that, at 58, Tyson no longer has the energy or motivation to trash-talk, especially to an opponent who wasn’t even born when he first became a world champion.
Maybe, just maybe, this was a good sign for his fans and shows his mind is fully on the job. Only time will tell.
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