Mike Tyson says he accepted Jake Paul fight while high on marijuana

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson says he was high on marijuana when he agreed to return to boxing and fight Jake Paul in a blockbuster matchup last year.

"Absolutely," Tyson, 59, told Fox Sports' Jackson Thompson.

He added he likely wouldn't have accepted the fight had he been sober.

"I don't really believe so, no, I wouldn't have did that," Tyson said. "Because without the cannabis, I'm getting too involved in my feelings. With cannabis, I'm very objective."

Tyson dropped a unanimous decision to Paul, a 28-year-old YouTube star turned prizefighter, in a lackluster bout last November at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It was Tyson's first professional boxing match since 2005.

The event broke multiple records, including an $18.1-million gate, the biggest in U.S. boxing history outside of Las Vegas. Over 72,300 fans attended the event, and 60 million households globally watched the fight on Netflix.

Tyson, an advocate for cannabis reform, said he used the substance "not long at all" before the Paul fight and then again immediately afterward.

"Soon as I fought Jake Paul, I said, 'Give me a joint,'" Tyson said. "In the ring, I said, 'I need a joint right away. ... Let's get out of here.'"