Mike Tyson shoves Jake Paul as pre-fight clash gets heated

Boxing legend and pop culture icon Mike Tyson and boxer-turned-YouTuber Jake Paul met again for a press conference, this time at the Javits Center in Hell's Kitchen as part of Fanatics Fest NYC.

It was the first time the two had faced each other since their highly anticipated – and highly publicized – fight was postponed from July 20 to November 15 following Tyson's health issues in May, the NY Post reports.

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The considerable age difference – Tyson is 58, Paul 27 – and the fact that Tyson has not fought a professional fight since his loss to Kevin McBride in 2005 raised doubts that the fight, which is scheduled to take place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, will actually take place.

Tyson's health complication – his stomach ulcer broke out during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles – only increased these doubts.

When asked directly if he was sure the fight would take place, Tyson replied yes. However, his answer was not particularly emphatic or convincing.

“It's happening,” Tyson said, laughing. “We're all here.”

Tyson's frivolous demeanor matched the circus-like atmosphere around him as he took the opportunity to get his hands on his rival.

In a heated moment as the two men faced off, Tyson feinted a left hook to the body before placing both hands on Paul's chest and knocking him backwards.

The fight is an officially sanctioned heavyweight bout that will challenge both fighters' professional records, but the promotion has seemed like a gimmick since its announcement.

Still, the possibility of seeing Tyson get back in the ring, along with Paul's fame – and infamy – on social media, creates a rare intrigue.

The fight is expected to draw a large crowd and will be streamed live on Netflix with no additional pay-per-view costs for subscribers.

Thousands of violent fans flocked to the Javits Center theater, chanting their admiration for Tyson and taunting Paul at every opportunity.

“You had to take your little menopausal break and postpone the fight,” Paul Tyson taunted and the crowd reacted violently. “How about this, buddy? I was ready, you needed a little break. Is your stomach still hurting?”

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) gave little more than one-line answers all afternoon, replying simply: “I'm feeling much better now.”

When MC Ryan Clark suggested that Tyson was nervous about the fight against Paul and not really sick, Tyson laughed and said sarcastically, “I was terrified.”

Finally, Tyson countered all of Paul's trash talk with a simple “I'm going to finish you off” and said the fight would be “very painful” for Paul. The fans soaked up every word he said, even if it was only a few.

Paul was much more verbose.

Paul, who has a 10-1 record with seven knockouts against mostly former MMA fighters and influential colleagues, called Tyson an “old motherf***er,” told him he would “discipline him like a son” and announced he would put Tyson “at the end of his boxing career.”

His cheeky and antagonistic villainous personality has earned Paul many followers and fame.

This helped him land lucrative fights shortly after entering the sport and sparked interest in his boxing career – especially among people who hoped to see him lose.

It's a topic he brings up again and again, and he enjoys the continued doubts about his seriousness as a professional fighter.

Paul had to constantly shout over the booing crowd, who alternated between chanting “F*** Jake Paul” and “YouTuber” during each of his speeches. Paul addressed this directly, attacking both the crowd and New York.

“Shut up, New York,” Paul said. “Boo you. Boo you, New York. New York, you're just like Mike Tyson – you were good 20 years ago. F*** you, New York. You stupid Democratic city.”

But when they actually meet in the ring on November 15, Paul will be facing one of the most feared men of a past generation – and not any heckling from fans.

However, once Tyson's fists start flying, there's usually not much comedy left.

Does this version of “Iron Mike” still exist?

“We have a YouTuber fighting the greatest fighter of all time,” Tyson said. “… I'm ready.”

This article originally appeared in the NY Post and is reproduced with permission.