The renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has labeled the upcoming fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, scheduled for November in Texas, as “dangerous, irresponsible, and disrespectful to boxing.” Hearn expressed his concern over the return of Tyson, 58, who hasn’t fought professionally since 2005. On the other hand, Jake Paul, 27, has won 10 of his 11 professional bouts.
Hearn will attend the event to support Katie Taylor in her rematch against Amanda Serrano, but he will leave before the main fight.
“The reality is that 20 years ago when Mike Tyson retired from the sport he was shot, completely finished,” Hearn said. “It was actually sad to watch then, 20 years ago.”
Eddie Hearn stated to BBC Sports that he considers it risky for Tyson to return to the ring for a professional fight. It’s worth mentioning that Tyson fought in an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
“I’m in awe of him. He’s one of my favorite fighters ever, one of the greatest of all time, but he’s a 58-year-old man,” Hearn added.
“You only need to speak to him and look at him to know this guy should not be in a ring again.”
A fight driven by money
The fight between Tyson and Paul, set to take place at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, has been widely criticized for the age and experience gap. Jake Paul has defended the fight, claiming Tyson’s experience levels the playing field. However, Eddie Hearn disagrees. “If I was Jake Paul, I’d just feel a bit embarrassed, to be honest with you.” “This is dangerous, irresponsible, and, in my opinion, disrespectful to the sport of boxing,” Hearn declared.
Hearn also pointed out that the fight was previously postponed due to Tyson’s health issues, which should have been a warning sign. He expressed that money can sometimes lead to bad decisions when referring to the Paul vs Tyson fight.
“Everybody loves a dollar bill, including me, but sometimes the green-eyed monster can make you make bad decisions—and I think this is one of them,” Hearn said.
Eddie Hearn supports Taylor vs Serrano, but will avoid the main event
Despite his criticisms, Hearn will attend the event to support Katie Taylor in her rematch against Amanda Serrano. Taylor, 38, will face Serrano in one of the most significant fights in women’s boxing. Hearn highlighted that this fight represents the biggest payday of Taylor’s career. However, he confirmed that he will not watch the fight between Tyson and Paul and will leave after Taylor’s match.
“I won’t be watching the main event. We’ll be there defending the belts, and then I’ll be off,” Hearn concluded.
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