Mike Tyson made sure to “nip it in the bud” when a prisoner tried targeting him during his first stint behind bars.

The boxing legend was imprisoned in 1992 after being convicted of rape in Indiana. He was given a six-year sentence as well as four years of probation for the crime.

Tyson, then in his late 20s, would ultimately spend just under half of that time in jail, being released on parole for good behaviour. But that doesn’t mean he was an angel throughout his stay at the Indiana Youth Center.

JUST IN: [VIDEO] Why Mike Tyson Came Out Of Retirement To Fight Jake Paul

Naturally, there was a target on his back, having been the youngest heavyweight boxing champion of all time. So he made sure to swiftly establish he wasn’t to be messed with.

During an interview with Playboy in November 1998, Tyson was asked if he was ever attacked in prison. He replied: “People will try you. They’ll try the strongest. You have to be a man. They’ll try anybody.

“They start by saying something funny, something sarcastic, to see how far they can go. But you nip it in the bud. You don’t let anyone get away with saying anything funny or sarcastic.

“You have to demonstrate who you are right on the spot. That’s what I do. That’s who I am. I’m a settler. I’m in my glory in a place like that. Chaos all over. Yeah, they tried me a few times.”

The interviewer then questioned if anyone had pulled a knife on him to gain an advantage, with Tyson hinting that he too carried a weapon. “They had them, but they didn’t have anything I didn’t have,” he answered.

Iron Mike had countless run-ins with the law before, during and after his professional career but has since turned his life around. And he’s now set to add a 59th fight to his record of 50 wins, six losses and two no-contests.

He steps into the ring with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul this Friday (November 15) in the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a contest which will be broadcast live on Netflix. Tyson will be looking to defy the 30-year age to Paul, whose jeopardy is facing one of the hardest-hitting fighters in history.

Netflix’s second installment of Countdown: Paul vs Tyson, which prefaces the pair’s much-anticipated boxing match on November 15, peers into both boxer’s camps as they prepare to fight.

The contest has caught the public’s imagination, pitching Tyson against Paul, a 58-year-old legend of the sport, versus a 27-year-old YouTuber who has crossed over into the boxing arena after conquering social media. Boxing Hall-of-Famer and subsequent actor Tyson is an ex-heavyweight champion of the world, with a legitimate claim to have been the sport’s most visible and controversial figure of the last 30 years.

Many boxing experts also consider him to have been one of the sport’s best. Tyson had a 20-year professional career between 1985 and 2005, notching 19 knockout wins in his first 19 professional fights, before becoming the sport’s youngest-ever world heavyweight champion at 21 when he defeated Trevor Berbick in Las Vegas in 1986. Tyson defended the title nine times, appearing unbeatable, before losing to James “Buster” Douglas in Tokyo in February 1990 in what many consider to be boxing’s greatest-ever upset. However, 34 years on, the Tyson/Paul bout promises a new and surprising chapter in his career.

READ: Mike Tyson v Jake Paul fight was cancelled as distressing incident emerges

Tyson’s loss to Douglas signaled a spectacular fall from grace, both in and out of the ring. Before the Douglas fight, the multimillionaire’s private life had spun out of control; his tempestuous marriage to actress Robin Givens was rarely out of the headlines, and he’d split from long-time trainer and confidante Kevin Rooney, his only connection to the man who’d adopted him as a teenager and guided his professional career, Cus D’Amato. D’Amato death in 1985 hit Tyson hard, and he was ill-equipped for the fame, fortune, and public scrutiny that inevitably surrounds a world heavyweight champion.

There followed a highly-publicized rape conviction in 1992, which saw Tyson sentenced to six years imprisonment, gaining parole after three years incarcerated at the Indiana Youth Center. Despite regaining his world title, in 1997 a much-diminished Tyson surrendered his legacy and reputation in two losses to Evander Holyfield, the second by disqualification for biting his opponent’s ear in 1997. Tyson continued fighting for money, his drawing power intact, but by 2005, after an embarrassing loss to journeyman Kevin McBride, he quit the sport.

The McBride fight appeared to have put Mike Tyson’s fighting ambitions to bed: “I felt like I was 120 years old. I don’t think I have it anymore,” he told The New York Times after the fight. He retired to an upscale enclave, Paradise Valley, near Phoenix, Arizona to spend time with his 350 prize pigeons, a lifelong obsession. There remained several brushes with the law, a much-publicized declaration of bankruptcy in 2003 with debts of more than $20 million, and many visits to rehabilitation centers to try to conquer issues with depression, drugs, and alcohol addiction.

In 2013, he published his autobiography, Undisputed Truth, in which he gave an honest and unexpurgated account of his life and troubles. The book ushered in a new relationship between Tyson and his audience and led to an international Undisputed Truth Tour, in which a visibly overweight Tyson surprised and excelled on stage as he recounted his life experiences and missteps. Approaching 50, out of shape, and with some stability in his private life, a return to the ring appeared highly unlikely.

While there are undoubtedly many factors behind Tyson’s decision to fight Paul, the former champion has been fairly candid when it comes to his motivation. He has dismissed claims that it is a purely financial move. While commentating at a Cage Wars MMA event (via The Daily Mirror), Tyson described such accusations as “Bull****,” adding:

“I’m a man; I want to go out there and I want to expose myself to risk. Sometimes I want to see who I really am. I want to see what I’m really made out of. I want to perform in front of the world. To me, that’s all I ever knew how to do since I was 14. This fight is not going to change my life financially enough. This is just what I want to do.”

This suggests that there is something more to Tyson’s decision than the financial implications.

In 2020, a newly energized Tyson, slimmed down and with his demons apparently under control, announced an exhibition fight with fellow boxing legend Roy Jones Jnr, then 51, and himself a former multi-weight world champion. Tyson’s share of the purse was rumored to exceed $10 million and, while some pundits had conjectured that the two old pugilists might not be able to curb their natural instincts, they in fact tip-toed through eight somewhat insipid rounds of action, after which three judges awarded a draw. Tyson announced afterward that he’d like to fight more exhibition bouts.

In Countdown: Paul vs Tyson, the old champion is seen training hard and appears to have recovered a little of his trademark menace. He’s shown bashing up his padded-up coaches and heavy bags, looking fit and fabulous against a static opponent that doesn’t hit back. The docuseries, of course, plays down the recurring sciatica that had him wheelchair-bound, causing a postponement of the fight last June, or the ulcers he suffers from, or the general physical dissipation that accompanies mid/old age. This Paul-Tyson fight is not an exhibition, and real punches will be thrown.

Mike Tyson, the former undisputed heavyweight world champion, has disclosed that his affluent acquaintances have proposed financial incentives for him to withdraw from his forthcoming clash with Jake Paul.

The 58 year old is set to make an extraordinary comeback to the ring on November 15 against the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

The eagerly anticipated fight is scheduled to take place at the AT&T Stadium in Texas, potentially drawing a crowd of up to 80,000 spectators. ‘Iron Mike’ was initially slated to face ‘The Problem Child’ earlier this year but had to pull out due to an ulcer flare-up during a flight.

READ: Mike Tyson makes honest admission about purse for Jake Paul fight

Despite the setback, the bout was rescheduled, and Tyson insists he will be ready to fight next Friday. Nonetheless, concerns linger over Tyson’s wellbeing, given the 31-year age gap between him and Paul.

Prominent boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is expected to be present at the AT&T Stadium to back Katie Taylor in her highly anticipated rematch with Amanda Serrano. However, Hearn has stated he will not stay for the headline event.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “We received a massive offer for Katie. I’m not going to tell her she’s not allowed to fight on that card,” adding, “Financially it’s the biggest purse of her career. I won’t be watching the main event. We’ll be there defending the belts, and then I’ll be off”, reports the Mirror.

Hearn is not the only detractor of the heavyweight clash. Exclusive behind-the-scenes content from Tyson’s training camp was released on Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) YouTube channel, offering glimpses into his preparation for the upcoming fight.

In a candid moment captured during a break in training, ‘Iron Mike’ shared with his coaching staff that several affluent friends had desperately implored him to avoid entering the ring with the younger American opponent. He recounted their words and his reaction: “I have some friends, they’re pretty wealthy”, he shared.

“They said, ‘Don’t fight, I give you money’. [I’m like] ‘You f****** crazy? ‘”. His return to the ring came after a harrowing health scare that led to the postponement of the original fight date.

In a confession made during a Netflix documentary, Tyson revealed a distressing incident prior to the fight where he collapsed, vomiting blood. “A week and a half ago I was training and I was doing great but then all of a sudden I started feeling tired,” he disclosed.

“I was explaining to my trainer, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me’.”

He continued, recounting his ordeal whilst travelling: “Coming here from Miami on the plane, I went to the bathroom and I threw up blood. The next thing I know I’m on the floor, I was defacating tar. So I came here and they found I had a big ulcer, two-and-a-half inches, and it was bleeding. All my friends were calling me like I was dying.”

Tyson expressed his desire to fight, saying: “I asked the doctor if I was going to die and she didn’t say no. She said we have options though, and that’s when I got nervous. I can’t wait to get out of this motherf***er, man. God, I want to fight and start training. I don’t want to die in the hospital bedroom, I want to die in the ring. You wouldn’t believe what I endured from my ulcer. I lost 26 pounds, can you imagine that? I was so p***ed off because I had peaked. I was good, talking s***, ready”. Tyson last fought professionally in 2005, retiring on the stool against Kevin McBride, but did participate in an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr four years ago.

Meanwhile, Paul, 27, is coming off a notable victory against Mike Perry in July.

Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson has claimed money is not a motivating factor in his upcoming clash with Jake Paul.

The 58-year-old is scheduled to make his sensational return to the ring against the young American on November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Texas in front of up to 80,000 fans. The two boxing stars were due to go toe-to-toe back in July, but ‘Iron Mike’ was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering an ulcer flare up on a flight. Despite concerns for his health, Tyson insists he’s ready to make the walk to the squared-circle next week.

Tyson hasn’t fought a professional contest since suffering a defeat to Kevin McBride back in 2005 while his last win in the ring came in 2003 when he brutally knocked out Clifford Etienne in the first round. He did, however, take on Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout in 2020, which was predictably scored a draw after eight rounds.

JUST IN: [VIDEO] Mike Tyson’s last opponent warns Jake Paul he still feels effects of his unbelievable punching power 19 years later

As for ‘The Problem Child’, the young American has taken the sport by storm since making his professional debut back in 2020. Paul comes into the clash off the back of a devastating knockout win over former UFC star Mike Perry back in July. With a professional record of 10-1, his only defeat in the sport came against Tommy Fury last year.

The 58-year-old is adamant that his return to the ring is not for financial reasons however. Tyson’s earnings now come more readily from cannabis than fighting and ‘Iron Mike’ is more interested in the risk available to him by taking on Paul in his return to the ring. “I could be waiting on a check every day from cannabis,” he said in September while commentating at a Cage Wars MMA event.

“That’s bulls*** for me. I’m a man; I want to go out there and I want to expose myself to risk. Sometimes I want to see who I really am. I want to see what I’m really made out of. I want to perform in front of the world. To me, that’s all I ever knew how to do since I was 14. This fight is not going to change my life financially enough. This is just what I want to do.”

Tyson has recently admitted that he is still not in perfect health. “It’s hard to walk right now,” he said. “But two months from now I’m going to be perfect. The fight is won in the gym. Listen, I’ll do anything that will help me. I’m going to enjoy my time here tonight with all my childhood friends, and the hell with Jake Paul”.

Since the confirmation of the bout, Paul has faced a lot of criticism. The 27-year-old has dismissed the idea the money is the primary reason for their meeting. “Making history. This is what it’s all about for me, man”, he explained. “I’m a kid from Ohio. […] They’ll never give me credit. That’s the way it is. If I was walking on water, they would say it’s because I couldn’t swim. And this is to make history. The people think I’m going to get knocked out by this strong, powerful guy”.

Almost two decades on from their infamous showdown in Washington DC, Kevin McBride is still very much feeling the power of Mike Tyson.

In June of 2005, the little-known Irishman shocked the world and send ‘Iron Mike’ into retirement, not just from the fight but from boxing as a whole. It would take the heavyweight icon until this year, at the age of 58, to come back for a full professional bout, only taking two exhibitions in the meantime.

But even though McBride won on the night, he says that the punches he felt that night have stuck with him. Now working as a paver, he has warned Jake Paul that there are still times that he feels the power of Tyson, almost 20 years since they stepped in the ring.

JUST IN: ‘I Almost Died’ – Tyson Explains His Initial Withdrawal From The Paul Fight

The date was June 11 2005 when Kevin McBride earned the biggest win of his life against one of the greatest of all time; Mike Tyson. While the story has been rewritten to indicate that ‘Iron Mike’ was far past his best, he still packed a serious punch, which had the Monaghan native in trouble throughout.

“It was like a Cinderella story for me,” he told Bloody Elbow in an exclusive chat. “Everybody said there was no way I had a chance to beat Mike Tyson because with his career and what he’s achieved, but I had a different plan in my mind.

“I trained very hard for eight weeks and I even had a hypnotist work with me so that every time he would hit me I’d be smiling. I was smiling a lot! People don’t realize even when I was fighting him people ask ‘what was going through your head?’ I say ‘What the hell did I get myself into?’

“He ain’t no joke and I would have fought him for free. I was offered small money, maybe $150,000, but I couldn’t care less about that, I just wanted to get in the ring with him, it wasn’t about money at all for me when it came to Mike Tyson.”

And not only did McBride get in the ring with Tyson, but he managed to make him quit on his stool after round six. He floored the legend with Muhammad Ali watching at ringside, and made one of the world’s toughest men decide that he could no longer fight.

However, he has a word of warning for Jake Paul as he prepares to face Tyson on Friday night. The bout has proved controversial over the 31-year age gap between the competitors, but the legendary heavyweight still packs one of the biggest punches on the planet.

“Jake Paul is a young kid,” he said, noting the 27-year-old’s inexperience relative to his 58-year-old opponent. “He has youth with him but Mike Tyson’s power is unbelievable. I still feel it to this day, more than 19 years later.

“He hits so hard and power is the last thing to go. George Foreman proved that against Michael Moorer. Sure he was a bit younger than Mike is now but power-wise it is one of the biggest punches in history and he can probably knock Jake out.”

If Mike Tyson pulls out, McBride will be happy to step in and have a shot at Jake Paul

The bout between Paul and Tyson is one of the most anticipated of the year, helped by a build-up that has lasted since it was announced in March. The pair were due to compete on July 20, but the YouTuber was forced to face Mike Perry instead after Tyson suffered a health scare that had him fearing for his life.

And should a similar issue arise during fight week, McBride would happily dust off his gloves and get in there with Paul. He last competed in 2011, and ended his career on a three-fight losing run, but reckons he has enough to stop the social media star.

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“I’m 51-years-old myself and if Tyson pulled out again I would fly down in the morning,” he admitted. “I would actually jump in the ring with Jake Paul and I’ll tell you what, I have the power to put him away too because my power has not gone away.

“I work with this guy now Mathias and I do paving, I must have lost 50lb this summer and I’d be able to make weight again. If Tyson beats Jake Paul then it’s not a bad idea if he wants to avenge his loss against the Irishman and we could get in the ring again.”