Boxing: The psychedelic drug concoction that fuelled Mike Tyson's return

Mike Tyson. Photo / Getty

Mike Tyson says a psychedelic drug concoction knows as 'toad venom' was the inspiration behind his highly-anticipated return to boxing.

The 54-year-old former heavyweight champion will step back into the ring for the first time in 15 years against Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition fight at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

Speaking at his weigh-in ahead of today's fight, Tyson spoke about the "medicine" which "told him" to get back into shape and back in the ring.

"I took the medicine and the medicine told me to get into shape," Tyson said of the drug 5-MeO-DMT.

"It really blew my mind. It told me to come back and start getting in shape."

Toad venom or 5-MeO-DMT is an extremely potent natural psychedelic that comes from a rare species of toad native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.

5-MeO-DMT is four to six times more powerful than its better-known cousin DMT, according to addictioncenter.com.

The drug's hallucinogenic effects can cause a "powerful religious-like" trip, and it appears to have motivated Tyson to get back into shape.

However, medical professionals warn that the drug is risky and potentially dangerous to humans, while the illegal collection of Collorado River toads for the drug trade is a threat to the species.

Tyson has long been open about experimenting with drugs and has a lucrative cannabis business called Tyson Holistic, where it is believed he earns around £500,000-per-month (NZ$1 million).

He is set to make even more in his boxing comeback fight, with Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole reporting that Tyson will make a whopping $14.2 million from the bout, while his opponent Jones Jr. will be going home with $4.2 million.

Jones, 51, said during his weigh in that he expects his opponent to be competitive despite his age.

"He's been out 15 years and he knows what it's like to miss boxing," said Jones, "He realises what he had and he's seeking to get that back now … Now he has a desire to want to come out and be who he once was and do what he could once do."

Coverage of Tyson vs Jones Jr. starts at 3pm today and is available on pay-per-view on Sky Arena and Sky Sport Now.

Tune into NZ Herald for live updates of the fight later today.