Jake Paul believes a Mike Tyson knockout victory is meant to be.

That’s how confident Paul is ahead of his clash with the boxing legend, which takes place this Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be broadcast live on Netflix. Paul has made a name for himself as a boxer after previously rising to fame as a YouTuber and social media influencer, and meets his most accomplished opponent yet in 58-year-old Tyson.

“Iron Mike” is fighting in his first sanctioned fight since 2015 (and making his first in-ring appearance since a 2020 exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr.). In his prime, Tyson was revered for his knockout power that won him multiple world titles and made him one of the most famous figures in the sport.

Ahead of the November 15 event, Paul and Tyson sat down for a one-on-one interview on YouTube, and Paul waxed poetic about what it would feel like to KO Tyson.

“If it happens, it will be a little bittersweet because I love him, but right now we are meant to go to war,” Paul said. “He’s trying to take the food off my plate, I’m trying to take the food off his plate and that’s what warriors do. But for me, I dreamed this, manifested it, and it will be the beginning of what for me has been a 12 year career in entertainment and acting and working and all the things I’ve done now in boxing, this is finally my moment and my time to shine and I’m going to show the world who I am.

‘Because everyone doubted me, everyone had something to say. Nothing was ever given to me. I had to work for it all. Oppressed by everyone. Kicked off YouTube. Kicked off platforms. Canceled five times and here I am basically hosting the biggest event in entertainment and now it’s showing the rest of the world what hard work and perseverance can do and I’m just happy to be able to show that to other kids who maybe we have to endure adversity, we have to fight and we have to prove ourselves again and again.”

When asked if he was confident he would take Tyson out for the count, Paul didn’t hesitate: “It’s already written.”

“This is the worst man in the world,” Paul added. “Heavyweight. Just look at the damn guy sitting here right now. He’s an animal. He posts pictures on Instagram and I get a little scared because of how good he looks, but I gotta step it up to this level and people showing that I can achieve the impossible and that’s what Jake Paul’s story is about.”

Tyson was then asked how a loss to Paul would affect his legacy, which led to the following discussion:

Tyson: “I don’t look at my life as a legacy. Legacy to me means ego. Who the fuck cares about my legacy? One day soon I will be dead. But he’s not going to win.”

Paul: “It would be the biggest moment in all of boxing history on Friday night if I put this guy to sleep, so that’s pretty dope.”

Tyson: “He dreams a lot. This isn’t going to work out, young man.’

Paul: “I respect your opinion, but it’s just my time. The universe knows it, the gods know it, and you will know it.”

Despite his bravado, Paul admitted he is concerned about how the fight could unfold on Friday. Of Tyson’s 50 professional victories, 44 came by knockout, many of which are still repeated to this day due to the level of violence and brutality involved.

Paul doesn’t want to get hit, but he’s ready.

“I have to be alert,” Paul said. “This is a scary, scary man. He is a killer and still clearly has all the power in all the videos, in all the sparring he shows, dropping his sparring partners.

“My mom is texting, she can’t even see Tyson hitting. She doesn’t want to look at it because it scares her. He has one of the deadliest uppercuts of all time, so of course I have to be ready and know that he will have some moments there and I will have to hang in there.

In what will likely be Tyson’s last fight, the boxing legend sees it as more than just a farewell party. He plans to come out on top, something he failed to do when he lost to Kevin McBride in June 2005.

According to Tyson, he is confident that millions of fans will get the chance to see his hand raised one more time.

“I’m not going to lose, so I can’t even fathom losing,” Tyson said. “I can’t even imagine it. He’s not going to win. I think he thinks this is going to be a very easy night. It won’t be an easy evening for you.”

“I don’t think so,” Paul replied. ‘I think it’s going to be war. A war of centuries. It’s the fans who will win from this, but I know you, I know your soul on a deeper level, and I know myself and I know you won’t stop, and neither will I. You could tear my head off. I can go to the canvas. You can fuck me, I can bleed everywhere, and I’m not going to stop, and I know it’s the same for you. That’s the beauty of this, I don’t think it will be easy. I know it will be difficult.”

Watch the full Face 2 Face video below.