Mike Tyson says Jake Paul fight reports ‘new to me’

Former boxer Mike Tyson poses for photos in front of newly unveiled Tyson's stature at Mulberry Street Pizzeria in the District at Resorts World Las Vegas, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Chitose Suzuki / Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chitosephoto

Former professional boxer Mike Tyson arrives at Eight Cigar Lounge grand opening at Resorts World Las Vegas on November 04, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Eight Cigar Lounge)

Mike Tyson and Eight Cigar Lounge partner and attorney David Chesnoff are shown at the grand opening of the cigar lounge at Resorts World Las Vegas on November 04, 2021. (Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Eight Cigar Lounge)

Former boxer Mike Tyson, left, poses for photos with Mulberry Street Pizzeria founder and owner Richie Palmer, right, after unveiling Tyson's statue at Mulberry Street Pizzeria in the District at Resorts World Las Vegas, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Chitose Suzuki / Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chitosephoto

Former boxer Mike Tyson is shown after the unveiling of his statue at Mulberry Street Pizzeria in the District at Resorts World Las Vegas, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Chitose Suzuki / Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chitosephoto

Mike Tyson has cast a pall over a report he’s agreed to fight a YouTube sensation.

Iron Mike KO’d a story indicating he’d verbally agreed to fight Jake Paul in an exhibition bout this year. The U.K. Sun reported Monday that Tyson and Paul were in “advanced talks” for a bout worth about $50 million.

“This is new to me,” Tyson posted on Twitter, about seven hours after the Sun report broke online. “I saw Jake in St. Barts and he never mentioned it.”

Tyson’s wife, Kiki Tyson, added Monday night the story was patently false. “Mike thinks the Paul brothers are great, but isn’t, nor will he, fight either one of them.”

This is new to me. I saw Jake in St. Barths and he never mentioned it. https://t.co/eL01HDMdmr

— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) January 17, 2022

Jake Paul is the brother of Logan Paul, himself a YouTube star and sometimes pugilist who has also been at the center of bout plans with Tyson. In June, Logan Paul fought Floyd Mayweather to a draw in an eight-round exhibition in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Jake Paul fought on the undercard of the Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. “Lockdown Knockdown” main event at Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) in L.A. in November 2020. That bout ended in a controversial split draw. Paul knocked out ex-NBA player Nate Robinson in the second round of his cruiserweight bout.

The Sun made a big deal of the age difference for these non-combatants. Tyson is 55. Paul just turned 25 on Monday.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.