Mike Tyson has insisted the reason he was slurring his words during an interview with Good Morning Britain on Tuesday was because he had fallen asleep just before going on air.

Many fans of the legendary heavyweight were concerned after the ITV interview as Tyson was largely incoherent throughout questioning from hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.

But later he took to social media to enlighten people as to why he was in such a bizarre state.

Speaking on Twitter, he said: "Hey mate @piersmorgan @GMB @susannareid100 and UK.

"I tried to stay up late for interview but fell asleep and like a lion I'm hard to wake once asleep.

"Training hard and going to bed early.  I had no monitor so I couldn't see you guys and forgot to look into camera."

The concern for Tyson’s health comes just over a month before he is due to make his return to boxing after 15 years in retirement.

The 54 year-old is set to face fellow legend of the sport Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout on November 28 in California.

And while he is more than 20 years older than today’s heavyweight kings such as Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, his trainer Rafael Cordeiro still believes he could fight for a title belt.

"I believe Mike can do it. If he put his mind, he wanna fight for the belt one day, why not? Who says it's impossible to do?," he told TMZ.

"He's fighting every single day in the gym and I believe the best is still to come.

"Why not? If one day he wants to prove, he put his techniques to the test, why not [fight for] for the belt? He is improving every day. He does not look like a 54-year-old fighter."

Tyson’s last fight came way back in 2005 when he was stopped in the sixth round by Ireland’s Kevin McBride.

Meanwhile, his opponent Jones went on way past his prime and only hung up his gloves in 2018 after 75 professional bouts.