Mike Tyson has made a living out of intimidating people.
However, someone should have told the legendary boxer to pump the brakes on that song and dance before he talked to a kid reporter ahead of his highly anticipated return to the boxing ring. In case you didn't know, Tyson is set to come out of retirement to face YouTuber and social media star Jake Paul.
Believe me when I say that the whole world is rooting for "Iron Mike."
Mike Tyson, now 58-years-old, hasn't boxed professionally since 2005. He'll now fight against a 27-year-old who just kind of picked up boxing in the past couple of years at AT&T Stadium - home of the Dallas Cowboys (and blinding sunlight). The face-off will air on Netflix on November 15, with preliminary fights starting at 4:30 CT. and the main card set to start around 7:00 CT.
Tyson and Paul were originally supposed to fight back in July, but a medical issue with Mike Tyson arose and the event was postponed. Though there was some fear that it would be canceled altogether, we're now just a day away from seeing one of the greatest boxers of all time (Tyson has a career record of 50-6) trade punches with... a YouTuber (who is 10-1 in his professional matches).
Because of that, the media opportunities for the two boxers have been ramping up. Mike Tyson even set aside some time to talk with 14-year-old reporter prodigy Jazlyn Guerra of "Jazzy's World TV." The young kid has made quite the name for herself, and showcases some incredible interviewing skills for her age. That being said, she was understandably caught off guard when Mike Tyson gave a terrifyingly morbid answer to her question about legacy.
Jazyln tossed this question to Mike Tyson, asking what coming out of retirement for this fight means for how people will remember him as a whole:
"In your return to the ring for this fight, you are setting a monumental opportunity to see kids my age to see the legend, Mike Tyson, in the ring for the first time. So after such a successful career, what type of legacy would you like to leave behind when it's all said and done?"
Great question, right?
Well, "Iron Mike" quickly broke into an answer that somewhat undercut Jazzlyn's moment. The aging boxer has apparently been thinking a lot about his own mortality as of late, which led to him responding in this increasingly shocking way:
"I don't know. I don't believe in the word legacy. I just think that's another word for ego. Legacy doesn't mean nothing. That's just some word everybody grabbed onto. It means absolutely nothing to me.I'm just passing through. I'm gonna die and it's going to be over. Who cares about legacy after that? What a big ego... I'm gonna die, so I want people to think I'm this? I'm great? No, we're nothing, we're dead. We're dust... we're absolutely nothing. Our legacy is nothing."
Holy sh*t Mike Tyson.
Jazyln once again showed maturity beyond her years, thanking Tyson for the answer and saying, "That is something that I have not heard before. Someone say that as an answer." Yeah... because not only is it a wild answer to give to a reporter, it's especially so when the reporter is 14 YEARS OLD. Mike even drops an f-bomb later on in his answer.
It's a crazy interview, and if I'm being honest, makes me slightly concerned for Mike Tyson's well being as he heads into a boxing match against a much younger opponent:
