The forthcoming boxing bout involving Jake Paul, a YouTuber turned boxer, and the esteemed boxing figure Mike Tyson has triggered backlash within the combat sports community due to the significant age gap between the two fighters.
Set to take place on July 20 and streamed on Netflix, the match has faced widespread criticism, with many voicing concerns about the safety implications of such a mismatch in age.
Among the detractors is Dana White, the president of the UFC, who has been engaged in a public dispute with Paul over fighter compensation. White has added his voice to the disapproval, highlighting the notable age difference as a point of contention.
During a recent UFC press event, White remarked, “Mike’s 60 man! I don’t know. What do you guys think about it? Who gives a sh** what I think? It’s not my fight. I love Mike Tyson, personally, as a friend. He’s one of my favorite athletes of all time. Let’s see what he can go in there and put together a training camp, coming in… I don’t like to see guys fighting with a 31-year age difference.”
Further intensifying his critique, White took to social media to share a lighthearted meme seemingly directed at Paul. The meme portrays a fictional fight poster depicting Paul squaring off against the legendary Hollywood figure Clint Eastwood, who is currently 93 years old.
Reassurance from Mike Tyson’s Trainer Regarding Health Concerns Ahead of Jake Paul Fight
The upcoming exhibition match involving Mike Tyson against Jake Paul on July 20 has raised apprehensions about the boxing icon’s well-being. Nonetheless, Tyson’s trainer, Rafael Cordeiro, has vehemently dispelled any such anxieties.
Tyson, last witnessed in a lackluster exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, is slated to confront Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. While the precise nature of the bout (exhibition or professional) remains ambiguous, speculations have surfaced regarding the 57-year-old Tyson’s physical condition as he prepares to step back into the ring.
Cordeiro, who served as Tyson’s cornerman for the Jones Jr. fight, recently addressed these concerns on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour podcast. He reassured fans, stating, “You’re talking about a guy who was a two-time world champ, the guy that had [29] fights in two years. He knows how to fight. He’s fought against the best guys in the world. When he steps inside the ring, he knows what to do. It’s not something new for Mike and this fight is no different. He works hard every single day to go there and try his best to knock Jake out from the be ginning to the end.”