Mike Tyson preps for Jake Paul fight by playful street sparring with former heavyweight champ

By Hoang Nguyen November 11, 2024 | 07:20 pm PT

Mike Tyson (L) throws a left hook toward Roy Jones Jr. during a boxing match in Los Angeles on Nov. 28, 2020. Photo by AP

Boxing legend Mike Tyson, set to face Jake Paul this Friday in his first professional fight in 19 years, had an unexpected street sparring session with former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs as part of his preparation.

Tyson, 58, known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet," will go head-to-head with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, nicknamed "The Problem Child," at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 15.

The highly anticipated bout is Tyson’s first since his retirement in 2005 and it will be streamed live on Netflix, which aired a preview featuring behind-the-scenes footage of both fighters' training routines.

In one scene from the preview, Tyson can be seen playfully sparring with Briggs on the streets of Brooklyn, New York, during a visit to his old training ground in April. Following an unexpected reunion, the pair took off their shirts and exchanged a few lighthearted punches, much to the amusement of local people.

They quickly ended the sparring with laughter and a hug. It will be far more intense on Friday when Tyson faces off against an opponent 31 years his junior.

Paul, 27, holds a record of 10 wins from 11 professional bouts, with his only loss taking place in 2023 against Tommy Fury, the younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. This fight will be Paul's first against a professional and decorated boxer like Tyson, who has been absent from competitive boxing for nearly two decades.

In 2020, Tyson returned to the ring for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. and has maintained his fitness ever since. However, the upcoming fight with Paul will be a much bigger challenge for "Iron Mike", who is widely regarded as one of the greatest of the sport.

Originally scheduled for July, the bout was postponed after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up during training. Last month, The New Yorker reported that "too much bad food and stuff" was the cause to his stomach problems.