Mike Tyson and Jake Paul had a clear contrast in styles at Wednesday’s final press conference before their highly anticipated fight on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Texas.
IRVING, Texas – As the clock ticks down to their showdown at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul both declared they were ready for battle. But only one of them brought the flair.
Paul, always the showman, arrived at the press conference with something extra shiny on his right ear.
“I’m not getting my (expletive) bit off on Friday night, so I got my diamond-spiked ear covers right there,” Paul joked, referencing Tyson’s infamous ear-biting incident with Evander Holyfield during their 1997 fight.
Tyson, however, didn’t react—this was a stark contrast to the usually jovial attitude that the former world heavyweight champion had displayed in the lead-up to the fight. In fact, Tyson appeared increasingly withdrawn and disengaged as the fight approached.
Netflix, which will livestream the fight, also streamed the press conference—his last before the big night—highlighting the stark contrast in personalities between the two fighters.
Paul, 27, took the spotlight in a black sleeveless T-shirt dusted with glitter, paired with sunglasses. He exuded confidence and bravado, saying, “I fear no man, so I want him to be that old savage Mike… I’m ready. I want that killer. I want the hardest match possible Friday night and I want there to be no excuses when I knock him out.”
With both men sitting roughly 15 feet apart, Paul looked at Tyson and challenged him, “So is that what you’re going to bring, homicidal?”
Tyson, 58, dressed in a black T-shirt and a dark denim-style jacket with matching pants, remained calm and silent. Paul pressed him, asking if he planned to bring the same level of aggression that earned him his “homicidal” reputation.
Tyson simply stared ahead—silent and composed—until he eventually said, “I’m just ready.”
The press conference wrapped up with host Ariel Helwani polling the 12 other fighters on the card about who they thought would win the Tyson-Paul bout. Nine of the fighters picked Tyson, while three chose Paul.
Despite the split opinions, Paul is the favorite in the betting markets.
The two will meet again at Thursday’s weigh-in before stepping into the ring on Friday night at the heart of the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium.