Heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson is preparing for an obscure yet dangerous showdown with Jake Paul, headlining an event that has been met with worldwide criticism but also excitement. Now ‘Iron Mike’ has hit back at those who disagree with the bout.
Tyson hung up the gloves in 2005 following a stoppage loss to Ireland’s Kevin McBride, but has appeared in exhibitions against Corrie Sanders and Roy Jones Jr in 2006 and 2020 respectively.
Although, the feel to the Jake Paul clash is a more contentious one, mainly due to the 30-year difference in ages and the fact that Paul is an active professional against a man who retired almost two decades ago.
However, speaking to Reuters, Mike Tyson defended the bout, adding that ‘The Problem Child’ needs the name of a fellow superstar to help sell out the world’s biggest arenas.
“I’m 58 and what? I’m getting billions of views from just talking to somebody about fighting.
“Everybody, even most of the athletes, they’re jealous, that’s whack… I say in your prime you couldn’t draw a million people, man. What are you talking, you couldn’t sell out arena. Who at 58 could sell out an 80,000-seat arena?
“Why you think he [Paul] wants to fight me and not anybody else?”
“Everybody wants to fight him, all the boxers want to fight him. But if he fought them the only people that will come are the people that like him.
“The other guys, their parents might not even come watch them. That’s just keeping it real. They’re too boring for their children to watch, it’s like watching grass grow.”
Tyson will face Paul on July 20th at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but it has been confirmed that their contest will be an exhibition rather than a professional bout that impacts either of their official records.