Jake Paul confirms Mike Tyson fight this year and sends thank you to 'great' boxing legend

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are reportedly set to face each other in the ring before the end of the year. Just as talk of the showdown looked to be cooling, the former baddest man on the planet has thrown the fight a lifeline when he admitted on the Jimmy Kimmel Show last week that a clash could take place this year.

Tyson revealed: "Anything is possible, but it has got to happen this year. That could be very interesting. He is skilled enough and I will give it to him because he is winning. Even if he is fighting fighters that aren't meant to be good enough, they should still be beating him, but they can't.

"He is beating people that he shouldn't really be beating so you have to give him credit. He is doing good, and he is doing things that are great for boxing. This guy has seven million people following him every time he fights.

"The champions of the world don't have that many people following him so what he is doing for boxing is sensational. No one should be hating on him; what this kid is doing they should be following him. He is helping everybody get money so why are people mad at him?"

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In response to Tyson's words, Paul tweeted a clip of the video with the caption: "Thank you to the great Mike Tyson for the respect and opportunity. This year we are making it happen."

Paul has been chasing the fight against Tyson since revealing in a tweet last year that a contest against 'Iron Mike' is on his boxing bucket list. He wrote: "My boxing bucket list: 1) Canelo Alvarez 2) Floyd Mayweather 3) Mike Tyson 4) Tyson Furry (sic)