Mike Tyson and Jake Paul quotes: from the scary to the silly

Sport

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are meeting in Texas for their fight tonight, where you can expect more heavyweight hyperbole like like these quotes

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul may well be appearing what is bound to be one of the most watched fights in history with the spectacle beamed into 282.7 million homes on Netflix. It essentially marks the return on boxing to mainstream viewing, away from expensive pay-per-view (well, obviously people are paying for Netflix but it is pretty ubiquitous service these days) and back to the glory years of Muhammad Ali, when the whole world would tune into fights.

Of course, what this decidedly isn’t, is a match worthy of Ali. Despite this being a legitimate bout which will feature on Tyson’s illustrious record (58 fights, 6 losses 44 KOs…) and, er, Paul’s too (11 fights, one loss, 7 KOs), this is very much a ‘content’ event rather than a sporting one. They’ll be fighting, but with certain restrictions – 2 minute rounds in particular – that allow for the fact Tyson is 31 years older than Paul and last stepped in a ring 20 years ago.

But as entertainment, it’s going to a must-watch and in a way, Tyson has always been able to this kind of thing , delivering drama and monstrousness to the circus of boxing. Meanwhile Paul brings the absurdity.

Here are some of both men’s best and weirdest and scariest and downright ridiculous quotes:

Mike Tyson:

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

One of his most famous quotes. Best laid plans…

“Discipline is doing what you hate to do but doing it like you love it.”

On his training mindset.

“I’m the best ever. I’m the most brutal and vicious, and most ruthless champion there’s ever been.”

Joe Louis or Sonny Liston might have had something to say about that…

“Everybody you fight is not your enemy, and everybody who helps you is not your friend.”

On fame as well as fighting…

“I’m just like you. I enjoy the forbidden fruits in life, too.”

Are we all, in some way, like Mike?

“I’m not Mother Teresa. But I’m not Charles Manson, either.”

His public image was slightly controversial back in the day…

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“I’m the most underachieving overachiever.”

Nope, we can’t figure this one out either…

“I know how people feel who are in pain. When you see someone in pain, don’t look away, don’t run. Put your hand on them and say, ‘I’m here for you.’”

Nice Mike time…

“Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people. Greatness is being accepted by the people.”

Almost Ali-esque in this musing on fame.

“I’m a bad guy, but I’m trying to be a good guy. I can’t think of a better way to say it.”

Perhaps says it all about Tyson, who has somewhat healed the way he lives as he grew older – but which guy will be in the ring with Paul?

“Social media made y’all way too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.”

Fair.

“Fear is the greatest obstacle to learning. But fear is your best friend. Fear is like fire. If you learn to control it, you let it work for you. If you don’t learn to control it, it’ll destroy you and everything around you.”

From his book, Undisputed Truth.

“Confidence was everything. But in order to possess that confidence, you had to test yourself and put yourself on the line. It doesn’t come from osmosis, out of the air. It comes from consistently going over the visualisation in your mind to help you develop the confidence that you want to possess.”

Love this one.

“I try to catch [other boxers] on the tip of the nose, because i try to push the bone into the brain.”

Simply frightening.

“I could feel his muscle tissues collapse under my force. It’s ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm.”

Also frightening.

“I can sell out Madison Square Garden masturbating”

Perhaps in 1992.

“When you see me smash somebody’s skull, you enjoy it”

Echoes of Russell Crowe In Gladiator here.

“I’m not much for talking. You know what I do. I put guys in body bags when I’m right”

Another throwback quote, when outrage was key.

“My main objective is to be professional but to kill him.”

Scary.

“I’m not a nice person. I’m a decent person, I try to do the right thing. But a nice person, I am not.”

On whether he has actually changed and his a different person for the Paul fight.

“I’m bringing the devil himself.”

In reply to a journalist asking if he was bringing darkness to the ring against Jake Paul. Good luck Jake!

Jake Paul:

“People hate on me, but they’re the ones paying to watch me.”

Both true. Hate watch!

“I’m here to prove to the world that Jake Paul is a legit fighter, and I’m a fighter to be reckoned with.”

We shall see…

“If you told me three years ago that I’d be fighting the greatest fighters in the world, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Tyson was one of the greatest fighters in the world. Now he’s 58.

“Life is like a fight: you have to keep swinging no matter what.”

Good metaphor for life. Not a great strategy for fighting Mike Tyson.

“He’s an angry little elf. That was a cute slap, buddy.”

Paul after that pre-fight slap.

“I could become the next Muhammad Ali”

Er…

“I felt like I was dying … and I f**king loved it … some other element inside me took over.”

On his fight with KSI.

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“Our leadership is failing us, and everyone kind of just doesn’t know what to do. But I personally am not the type of person who’s gonna sit around and not live my life.”