Mike Tyson will be out to shock boxing fans when he takes on Jake Paul in Texas this weekend, but not as much as he once shocked Clare Balding. At 58, ‘Iron Mike’ is returning to the ring for his professional bout since 2005, when he suffered what seemed a career-ending defeat to Kevin McBride.
But even after his initial retirement, Tyson remained one of the most notorious and high-profile sporting figures on the planet.
And his trips to the UK inevitably meant media appearances, such as the one he participated in with the BBC almost a decade ago.
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Tyson was interviewed alongside another boxing icon in Ricky Hatton in Manchester, and was asked by Balding about his interest in English football. “I’ve been in Manchester for a long period of time and I've never heard of Manchester City,” replied the American.
Balding duly gasped at his reply, while Hatton, a huge City fan, nervously laughed. Tyson went on to explain that people had only ever talked to him about Manchester United.
The former world heavyweight champion has never been renowned for his love of other sports. He played American football during his time at Mesa Community College and made sporadic storyline appearances with the WWE, but it’s boxing that has consumed his sporting life.
On the contrary, Hatton is a lifelong supporter of City, with both his father and grandfather having played for the club. The 46-year-old himself also once had a trial for the youth team, and would enter the ring to the club’s unofficial fan anthem, ‘Blue Moon’.
Hatton hung up his own gloves after losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012, and has since resisted the temptation to come back. And Tyson’s imminent return has been greeted with as much scepticism as it has excitement.
Despite appearing ferocious in training videos posted online, grave concerns have been raised over his health. The original bout between him and Paul, 27, was postponed when Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up on an aeroplane.
And the build-up to the clash at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas descended into farce during Friday’s weigh-in, with Tyson losing his cool and slapping ‘The Problem Child’. The incident prompted a host of security guards and team members to rush in and separate the pair.
Tyson, who this week has also refused to entertain media questions on the possibility of losing to Paul, shouted “talking's over," as he left the stage. Paul, meanwhile, was seen smiling before mocking his opponent by sitting down and meditating.
