Mike Tyson Reveals Surprising Reason for Backing Out of Jake Paul Bout: "It's Not About Me"

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will face off in the boxing ring on November 15 at AT&T; stadium in Texas. The fight will stream live on Netflix, marking Tyson's return to professional boxing after nearly ...

Just four weeks away from the event, the former heavyweight champion known as "Iron Mike" has changed his tune about fighting the YouTuber-turned-boxer. Tyson previously said he'd never step in the ring with Paul, wanting to face only "real fighters."

On the Full Send Podcast, Tyson once stated:

My family loves Jake Paul, I would never, I would never fight him. Everyone in my family love this little white motherf***er. Let him has his reign, let him have his time. I don't want to fight him man. I fight real fighters. I fight fighters that hurt big strong scary men, they're the ones that I fight.

Now, Tyson has shifted his stance. In an interview with USA Today, he explained his motivation isn't financial but stems from a desire to test himself:

I could be waiting on a check every day from cannabis, That's bulls**t for me. I'm a man. I want to go out there and I want to expose myself to risk. Sometimes I want to see who I really am. I want to see what I'm really made out of.

Tyson added that he craves the spotlight:

I want to perform in front of the world. To me, that's all I ever knew how to do since I was 14.

The fight promises to be a unique spectacle, pitting the legendary "Iron Mike" against the controversial Paul. As the date draws near, fans and critics alike will watch closely to see how this unexpected matchup unfolds.