Jake Paul has revealed Mike Tyson was adamant that they should meet in a professional fight.
The YouTube star is set to do battle with heavyweight icon Tyson on July 20 in a summer bout which has now been confirmed as a sanctioned professional contest despite their 31-year age gap.
Concerns have been raised over Tyson’s condition, given he hasn’t fought in a licensed encounter since his brutal loss to Kevin McBride before retiring in 2005.
And Paul has insisted he attempted to warn Tyson over what he was getting himself into by getting the event sanctioned.
“I just want to make it clear that Mike Tyson is the one who wanted it to be a professional fight,” he said on his podcast.
“I said to Nakisa [Bidarian – MVP co-founder], if that is what Mike wants that is fine, but make sure you tell Mike there is no holding back.
“Whatever happens now happens and this is war now.
“If he puts me down I can deal with that, but if I put him down, he needs to be the one making the decision on whether or not he can deal with it.
“I’m going in there now its a pro fight and its on my professional record and I’m going to f***ing put him down.
“If people are p***ed about it, then go and watch soccer.”
Tyson will be 58 years old when he steps in the ring and it will be 19 years since his last outing as a professional, whereas Paul will be 27 and in the best shape of his career.
The heavyweight veteran has been showing off his training footage in a bid to prove his fitness for the sanctioned bout.
Fans have reacted with backlash to some of the clips, insisting that the pair should cancel the fight given the risk to both Tyson and Paul.
Boxing promoter Frank Warren shared the concerned views, insisting the decision to sanction the bout is ‘ridiculous’.
He said: “I’m a big fan of Jake Paul as a promoter and his business partner Nakisa [Bidarian].
“But let’s get it right, Mike Tyson is 58 years of age and he shouldn’t be fighting. It’s as simple as that.
“If it was an exhibition, you’d get half away with that, but the fact that Texas have licensed the 58-year-old to fight.
“What does anybody need to say about that? Anyone with an ounce of brains knows that it is ridiculous.”
About The Author
Leave a Reply