Mike Tyson clearly feels he’s got more in the tank – and if he gets past Jake Paul then Anthony Joshua could be his next target

Mike Tyson still backs himself against the best 

Jake Paul might not be Mike Tyson’s last fight as he’s previously voiced interest in squaring off against Anthony Joshua. The boxing legend is making his comeback to the ring on July 20.

Despite there being more than a three-decade gap between Tyson, who turns 58 next month, and his opponent, his track record as a former undisputed and two-time heavyweight world champion makes for an intriguing spectacle.

YouTuber Paul is 9-1 in his professional career, and with youth on his side he’s the favourite for victory. But Tyson isn’t lacking confidence, as evidence by the call out he made just four years ago.

Back in 2020, Iron Mike expressed his interest in facing Joshua – who was then holding the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles. A question about the potential dream bout was put to him by TMZ Sports.

He said (via the Mirror): “I’m very interested. If doing that means we can have a bigger charity exponent, well so be it, I’m down to do that, too. I would love to [fight Joshua]. That would be mind-blowing.”

The tides have since shifted with Joshua losing his belts to Oleksandr Usyk, now rebounding with a four-fight winning streak, while Tyson went on to earn a split draw with Jones.

Anthony Joshua was world champion when Tyson called him out 

Now the allure of a significantly profitable bout with Paul, set to be streamed live on Netflix, has drawn him back into the ring again. However, the uneven match-up has stirred controversy within the boxing community.

But Joshua reckons it’s a positive for the sport, saying on The Jonathan Ross Show: “I personally think it’s really good. The boxing hardcores, they don’t like it because they’re like ‘why are they disrespecting our sport?’

“There’s an Olympics system that you have to go through, and once you’ve qualified there you go through to the professional ranks, whereas someone with a profile can just come out of nowhere and fight one of the best guys.

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Iron Mike is fighting Jake Paul on July 20 

“But I think that person (Paul) brings all of these people into the boxing, which benefits everyone else that’s involved in the industry. It’s a tough game, so everyone viewing helps. I think it’s really good for exposure.”

Despite acknowledging Paul’s contribution to the sport’s popularity, Joshua doesn’t seem keen on facing him in the ring himself. Currently, AJ is solely concentrated on reclaiming championship titles before considering retirement.

“The only thing I’m worried about is Father Time,” he added when predicting the outcome. “That’s one thing that has never been beat. Tyson is older now. I pray that he comes out healthy. I think Jake Paul because of youth. That’s the only thing the youth.”