Gene Kilroy, Muhammad Ali's former manager, believes Mike Tyson is at his strongest ever as the boxing icon prepares to come out of retirement to face Jake Paul.
The 58-year-old has split opinion with his decision to return to the ring, especially given how he'll be facing a 27-year-old opponent.
Tyson has been taking the showdown seriously, with the veteran posting numerous clips of himself hitting the pads in training.
He will be aiming to summon the magic of old that made him one of the greatest heavyweights on the planet during his prime years.
Gene Kilroy, Muhammad Ali's former manager, believes Mike Tyson is at his strongest ever as the boxing icon prepares to come out of retirement to face Jake Paul.
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Tyson recently invited Kilroy into his camp, having known Ali's former trainer since the age of 13.
And Kilroy, speaking in a video uploaded to social media by the boxing legend, believes he's at his strongest ever as the bout with Paul rapidly approaches.
“This is the strongest I’ve ever seen you. And I’ve known you since you were 13," he said.
"This impresses the s**t out of me. Nothing impresses me.
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Gene Kilroy has known me since I was 13 #behindthemike pic.twitter.com/pyE9Gx9fZB
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) October 25, 2024
“I’m going to tell you the truth. I don’t lie. I was worried about him travelling here, traveling there. I can sleep now at night. This is great.”
Boxing fans are firmly behind Tyson as he prepares for his epic comeback.
One user wrote: "Mike, I want you to hit that Jake so hard it recreates a scene from Looney tunes, birds, stars, tweeting noises, the whole damn thing."
A second said: "Mike, you are a beast bro. Rooting for you."
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Another wrote: "Paul is in huge trouble. Iron Mike is coming."
And a fourth user wrote: "I'm proud of you too Mike."
Tyson has been upping the ante as the clash nears, with the boxing icon saying Paul should try and face him head on - rather than attempting to tire him out by running around the ring.
Speaking to Fox 4 Dallas, when asked how long the fight will go on for, he said: "Not long, as soon as I catch him, because he's going to run like a thief.
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"I don't see how he's going to make it an exciting fight by running all day.
"He's supposed to be the young guy, he's supposed to walk right through me. I'm an old man but he's going to run all night.
"He should try it (meet me in the centre of the ring); he's a younger man. he should be able to take punches from an old and withering man like me."
On Paul, he added: "I can't wait for this evening to happen. I just don't think he's taking it seriously.
Mike Tyson is feeling good as he prepares to fight Jake Paul
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"I think he believes he's the young guy and I'm the quasi-retirement child, they may think I'm an easy touch.
"[The fans] won't believe the spectacle that's going to happen, it'll be something they've never experienced before as far as pain is concerned."
