This Friday, the world will watch as two figures from vastly different corners of the boxing world - YouTube sensation Jake Paul and the legendary Mike Tyson - step into the ring for what's touted as one of the most controversial clashes in boxing history.
Initially slated for June, the bout was postponed due to Tyson suffering an ulcer flare-up mid-flight, illustrating just one of many challenges the 58-year-old icon has faced in his return to the ring.
However, from the looks of his recent training videos, it looks like there are glimmers of the Mike Tyson of old still there.
As the days wind down to the main event at Cowboys Stadium on November 15, anticipation reached a boiling point during a face-to-face interview — part of the MVP-Netflix show buildup.
Unlike typical pre-fight confrontations, this meeting was marked by mutual respect and a surprising gift exchange that harked back to Tyson's past.
Although no man backed down, Paul hailed Tyson as the "GOAT" of boxing, before confidently declaring that he would be the one having his hand raised at the end of their fight.
Then, during the interview - conducted in a stark setting with no audience to cheer them on - the conversation took a unique turn when Paul presented Tyson with a Southeast Asian pigeon, caged and carefully brought into the studio.
"I got you a gift, Mike," Paul declared, as he introduced the pigeon to the former heavyweight champion.
"Thank you, Jake. This looks like a low-budget peregrine," Tyson commented, maintaining the light-hearted tone despite the tension.
Paul, eager to impress his hero, responded: "We paid thousands of dollars for that..."
The gesture was a poignant nod to Tyson's well-known love for pigeons and a particular childhood incident where a young Mike Tyson threw his first punch defending his beloved birds.
Much to Paul's bewilderment, Tyson then confidently removes the bird from its cage, as the YouTuber says: "I've just someone...uh... handle a pigeon."
"He belongs to you now," Paul said, to which Tyson coldly responded: "I'll feed him to my falcon."
Following the conclusion of their interview, Tyson confirmed that he wouldn't be able to take the pigeon with him, laughing that "he would never" feel the bird to his falcon.
...this makes that bird the luckiest pigeon on the planet.
Nevertheless, Tyson's joke certainly left an impression on viewers, with one person tweeting: "'I'm gonna feed it to my falcon' sent chills."
"Mike is not phased by Jake's antics," another added.
On the YouTube video of the face-to-face, one person commented: "Everything changed when Mike went to his darkest place and said I will feed it to my falcon."
"'I’ll feed him to my falcon' goes unbelievably hard lmao," another added. "Only Mike could think of something that savage, that’s why he’s the goat."
"As soon as Tyson said he will feed it to his falcon Jake realized he’s screwed," another added.
As the fighters shared their thoughts and expectations for the upcoming match, the air was thick with the weight of legacy and comeback tales. Tyson, with a record of 50-6, dismissed concerns about tarnishing his legacy while facing a newer combatant like Paul, who has carved a niche for himself in the sport amid much skepticism.
This historic fight, set against the backdrop of personal trials and a mutual respect unusual for such a high-stakes event, is not just about the punches thrown in the ring but also about the symbolic moments that precede them. As fight night approaches, fans are left pondering the significance of every gesture and word... including a pigeon.
