Mike Tyson reveals chilling reason for shorter rounds in Jake Paul fight as boxing legend prepares for return
- Mike Tyson, 57, will face 27-year-old Jake Paul in Netflix’s first live boxing event
- Tyson hasn’t stepped foot in the ring since his 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones Jr.
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Mike Tyson revealed the reason behind the shortened rounds in his upcoming fight with Jake Paul on July 20.
Unlike the traditional three-minute stanzas in professional boxing matches, their sanctioned meeting, at Tyson’s request, will feature eight two-minute rounds.
At a press conference to promote the fight – broadcast on Netflix – Tyson, 57, explained why he asked for the rounds to last two-thirds the usual length.
“I wanted the shorter rounds because I wanted more action,” Tyson said. “If we only have two minutes, we will fight more.”
Many are still in doubt about the fight as the boxing legend prepares to take on the influencer-turned-boxer, 30 years his junior. However, Tyson has shared clips of his preparation during the build-up and has shown glimpses of his former self.
Mike Tyson revealed he asked for shorter rounds against Jake Paul to encourage more action
The fight between Paul and Tyson on July 20 has been approved as a professional fight and consists of eight two-minute rounds
Iron Mike retired from boxing in 2005 and fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match in 2020
Paul has a 9-1 boxing record with wins over Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz
After demanding provisions to encourage action in the ring, Tyson insisted his killer instincts transcend his age.
“Once he gets in that ring, he has to fight like his life depends on it, because it will,” he added.
Tyson had a professional record of 50-6 with 44 knockouts before retiring in 2005. Iron Mike returned to the ring in 2020 for an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr., with Paul defeating former NBA star Nate Robinson in the co-main event.
With their showdown set in stone, Tyson has become the biggest name on Paul’s list of high-profile opponents. Paul is known for bringing athletes out of retirement to meet them in the boxing ring, which has cost him most of his career.
Paul has faced the likes of Robinson, Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz, scoring wins against each of them. His only defeat came against Tommy Fury in 2023.
The Problem Child now has a 9-1 boxing record and is coming off three straight wins, with the last two being finishes. Paul will enter the fight fresh after a first-round knockout against Ryan Bourland on March 2.