Mike Tyson didn’t hesitate to “nip it in the bud” when a fellow inmate targeted him during his time in jail.

Back in 1992, Tyson found himself incarcerated after a rape conviction in Indiana. He was sentenced to six years, plus four years probation, but his good behavior saw him released on parole after serving just under half of that.

Given his legendary status as the youngest-ever boxing heavyweight champion, Tyson’s time at the Indiana Youth Center wasn’t without its challenges. He knew he had a target on his back and made it clear from the start that he was not one to be messed with.

In a November 1998 Playboy interview, Tyson opened up about his prison experiences. When asked if he’d been attacked, he said: “People will try you. They’ll try the strongest. You have to be a man. They’ll try anybody.

“They start by saying something funny, something sarcastic, to see how far they can go. But you nip it in the bud. You don’t let anyone get away with saying anything funny or sarcastic.

“You have to demonstrate who you are right on the spot. That’s what I do. That’s who I am. I’m a settler. I’m in my glory in a place like that. Chaos all over. Yeah, they tried me a few times.”

When the interviewer asked if anyone had pulled a knife on him, he hinted that he would carry a weapon himself. “They had them, but they didn’t have anything I didn’t have,” he replied.

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul face off

Tyson makes his remarkable return to the ring against Jake Paul this week ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

Iron Mike had numerous legal troubles before, during and after his professional career, but he has since made a turnaround in his personal life. And he’s now gearing up to add a 59th fight to his record of 50 wins, six losses, and two no-contests.

This Friday (November 15), he’ll be stepping into the ring with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The bout will be broadcast live on Netflix.

Despite being 30 years older, Tyson is preparing to prove that age is just a number when you’re one of the hardest-hitting fighters in history, while Paul hopes to add what would be by far the biggest notch on his 10-1 record to date.