Mike Tyson sat there disinterested and curt. Jake Paul wore a diamond-spiked ear cover to prevent any potential biting, insulted journalists who questioned the legitimacy of the fight and finished by making $1m bets with any boxer on the card who thought he would lose.
That included Katie Taylor, sitting above it all at the back of the press conference stage.
“Do you want to bet your purse?” she asked with a smile. She was one of nine out of twelve who opted for 58-year-old Tyson when pushed for a prediction.
This was some light at the end of a dark evening. The press conference ahead of Friday night’s card at AT&T Stadium in Dallas was a farce.
Early on former cruiserweight Tony Bellew attempted to interrupt proceedings as part of a gambling company advertisement. He had an elderly man kitted out in boxing gear and a Fisher-Price microphone that rendered it impossible to hear what he was saying.
“Is that Tony Bellew? Is that Tony Bellew with 50 extra pounds,” asked MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, the nominal presenter of the event.
Eventually, Bellew shuffled out and stood outside in front of the ‘content creator shuttle bus’. A smartphone and ring-light semicircle formed around him.
Inside Helwani strived to get Tyson in on the act but the former undisputed heavyweight champion was for not moving. He is reportedly set to be paid $20 million to face the social media personality, actor, musician, rapper, Youtuber, restaurant owner and now boxer. That fee is set; this isn’t a pay-per-view card with Netflix broadcasting it live to their 282.7 million paying subscribers. Now he just needs to show up.
Is the old Mike back? Is Iron Mike back?
“I’m just happy to be here,” he replied. Paul first called it cute, declaring that he wants to face ‘the killer.’ “I’m just ready. That is all I have to say,” Tyson muttered.
He was then asked about a clip from the three-part Netflix advertorial where he claimed the difference between the two main event protagonists is that Paul is a manufactured killer and he is a natural-born killer.
“That is what I said.” Can you expand? “It is just what I said.”
Paul later faced a question from a local Dallas journalist about his ambition to be taken seriously as a boxer. When can we expect you to start fighting legitimate, contending boxers in your weight class?
“I think you are the same dumbass from the other venue who asked that same dumbass question,” Paul replied. “You are sitting here disrespecting Mike Tyson to his face once again. Do you not think he is a serious boxer?”
Bruce Carrington (13-0, 9 KOs) is a Brooklyn native and a genuine contender. He is ranked in the featherweight top ten across every major championship. At one point, Carrington channelled Tyson and beat-for-beat replicated the infamous ‘I’m the best ever,’ speech.
“Very eloquent,” said Tyson in response. “But that day I was off my meds.”
Carrington’s clash with Australian Dana Coolwell will not be shown on Netflix and is being shown as part of the prelims on YouTube.
It has been a constant feature of Taylor’s career that the only place she looks truly comfortable is in the ring.
The media obligations and sideshows are grin and bear it endeavours. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the nonsense. She spoke for many when she said she just wants to fast-forward to the fight.
“I believe I won the last fight clearly. I am just going to go in there on Friday night and beat her again. I put my body through the trenches over the last few years. It is an absolute privilege to be here on the same card as a legend of the sport. It is an amazing opportunity that we both have; I just can’t wait to step in there and showcase what I can do again.”
Meanwhile, Helwani tried to salvage something. What do you make of his demeanour, Jake?
"Man. There is a lot of shit talk online saying you are going to kill me and just nothing in person," Paul said. "It is... I don't know. It is pretty boring. Pretty fucking boring.”
Amen.