Katie Taylor has said that it's 'a dream' to be fighting on the same bill as Mike Tyson as she prepares for a rematch with Amanda Serrano in the co-feature bout to Tyson's fight with internet celebrity Jake Paul in Texas in July.
Two years on from a history-making first bout at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Bray boxer will clash again with Serrano at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington in what is being billed as a 'co-main event'.
The fight will be broadcast free to subscribers on streaming platform Netflix in another new departure for Taylor's career.
While Taylor is used to being the feature attraction when she puts on the gloves, she's more than happy to share top billing with Tyson, despite him being 57 and without a professional fight in nearly two decades.
Taylor said: "I got a phone call from my manager a few weeks ago saying I'm going on the same card as Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. This is a dream for me.
"The last time Amanda and I fought it was an incredible fight. We get to do it again, it's amazing for the sport, live on Netflix, thank you to Netflix, this is iconic,"
"The last year my family said 'is there anything I want to do before I retire?' One of the things I said was, 'I'd love to meet Mike Tyson' and here he is beside me.
"He's just a legend and an icon of the sport. I grew up and fell in love with the sport in the 90s, and Mike Tyson was the biggest name in boxing during that time. He was ferocious, just super-exciting to watch."
Tyson meanwhile believes he is ready to show the world he is still a great fighter.
"I really like Jake a lot, but once he's in that ring he has to fight like his life depends on it, because it will," said Tyson.
The heavyweight bout will be contested over eight two-minute rounds with each fighter using 14-ounce gloves. The outcome will be included in both fighters' professional boxing records.
Tyson, who said he requested the shorter rounds because he feels it will lead to greater action and a more entertaining fight, shot back at critics who suggested he is making a big mistake by returning to boxing.
"The people who said that wish they were up here," said Tyson. "Because no one else can do it. Who else can do this? Who else can shut the sporting world down, no one else can do it. So you got the both of us.
"We're friends, but in that ring we're not going to be friends."
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