WASHINGTON, June 9: Former world champion Mike Tyson says he will gut Irishman Kevin McBride “like a fish” when the two heavyweights meet on Saturday night.

Tyson, who is three weeks shy of his 39th birthday, hopes to redeem himself following the fourth-round knockout defeat by Briton Danny Williams in Louisville, Kentucky in July.

Despite Tyson’s age and declining skills, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound McBride, who has a 32-4-1 record including 27 knockouts, is rated the underdog.

“I’ll gut him like a fish,” the American yelled during a news conference on Wednesday.

Irish champion McBride, 32, said fighting Tyson “was a dream come true” but added that he had come to Washington to win.

“When I hit Mike Tyson on the chin, he’s going to think the whole of Ireland, as an island, hit him on the chin,” said McBride.

“On June 11, I’m going to shock the world. Believe me when I say it.

“I’m a contender, not a pretender.”

Tyson spent most of the news conference talking about his legacy.

“Some reporters have called this (fight) a fiasco,” Tyson said. “You can talk about the past, I’m a convicted convict, I’m trying to break somebody’s arm or bite somebody’s ear.

“But you have to understand this...these people are not here because I’m a circus, they’re here because I’m an icon...an international star.

“Please forgive me for sounding somewhat egotistical. I’m just defending myself, setting the people straight. If anyone mentions Mike Tyson’s name and they don’t know my name, they’re from another planet.”

Promoters said nearly 14,000 tickets had been sold for the fight at the MCI Center and only about 3,000 remained.

Sporting a 50-5 record with 44 knockouts, Tyson said his life had been a “Cinderella story” despite a rape conviction and several other high-profile run-ins with the law.

“No one’s ever had the life that I’ve had,” Tyson said. “Regardless of what you might think, that it’s been grim and gloomy, I’ve had a tremendous life.”—Reuters