Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew has threatened YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul after concerns over the damage that ‘The Problem Child’ could do to his idol and heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson.
When Paul-Tyson was announced, there was an expectancy that the bout would officially be an exhibition, irrespective of comments from both teams who maintained that they were aiming the contest to be sanctioned as a professional one, that would go on each of their official records.
However, much to the amazement of boxing fans around the world, the Texas Boxing Commission has officially given the go-ahead for Paul-Tyson to be a professional affair, with serious jeopardy involved for both men, as well as the obvious health concerns for the 59-year-old ‘Iron’ Mike, who will step through the ropes 30 years older than his opponent.
Speaking to Boyle Sports, Tony Bellew said that if Jake Paul causes damage to the once ‘Baddest Man On The Planet’, then he will happily give him such a beating that would warrant jail time as a result.
“Mike is probably getting between 20-50 million for this fight, I’m not going to lie, I’d do it. Everyone has got a price. But if Jake Paul hurts Mike Tyson it would absolutely kill me. If he hurt Mike Tyson and I then run into Jake Paul, I’d chin him, quite happily. I would even spend a couple weeks in the big house for that.
“It’s a sad, sad day. It’s not a professional contest really because only women fight two minute rounds, men do not fight two minutes. But Jake Paul is so f*****g pig headed, he wants it to go on Mike Tyson’s record. Hopefully Mike chins him and puts him to sleep in six or seven seconds. The age Tyson is at, he could be Jake Paul’s grandfather, so it’s sad really.
“It should have been left as an exhibition, the money would not have changed, why is Jake Paul fighting to have it on Mike Tyson’s record the absolute p***k. But that’s who he is, he’s after clout and fame. I just hope Mike has that one punch left in him.
“He will never lose that punch, he’s lost the snap and sharpness of it, but if he turns a right hand over and hits Jake Paul on the chin, the boy is going to sleep. But at 58 years old it’s f*****g frightening, this is show business, this really isn’t boxing.
“I don’t think Netflix cares about Mike’s health, they generated 25 billion last year. Netflix doesn’t give a s**t about Mike Tyson. They don’t give a monkey’s ass about Mike. No one cares and the saddest part is, Mike knows that – he’s been there, done it and got the T-shirt.”
Paul-Tyson will go ahead on July 20th live on Netflix, topping a bill that also features a battle for the undisputed super-lightweight title – in what is sure to be one of the most high-profile cards of 2024.
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