Moments before the interview at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas, members of Tyson’s team politely requested the BBC Sport filming crew keep their distance from the two-time world champion and handed out face masks.
Tyson is concerned about picking up any illnesses during fight week, they said.
There have been question marks on the legitimacy of this fight and whether Tyson – who is reported to be earning as much as $20m for participating – will treat it as a serious bout, despite it counting to his professional record.
Once known as the ‘baddest man on the planet’, Tyson is perhaps the most controversial figure in boxing history.
He is a former undisputed champion, but in 1992 Tyson was convicted of rape, serving three years of a six-year prison sentence.
Tyson won 50 of his 56 contests before retiring in 2005. He became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history at the age of 20 and was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles in 1987.
He was noticeably breathing heavily throughout the interview and gave typically short, answers.
“I think he’s a great person but as a fighter I think he’s inferior,” were his thoughts on Paul.
But after the interview, Tyson conducted his open workout in front of fans without issue, moving and punching with ease.
Asked what he thought of Paul comparing himself to legend Muhammad Ali or saying he could beat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, comments which have irked boxing traditionalist, Tyson replied: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
Tyson was engaging when questioned about his own preparations.
“I’m in there with young guys, 25 and 28 years old, heavyweights. They are not kind to me, my trainers are not kind to me,” he said.
“They let me know, ‘you really want to do this?’. They put me to the test and I believe I passed the test because I did my last day of sparring and training, so I believe I passed the test.”
