Dana White plays along with hilarious "Clint Eastwood" troll job on Jake Paul
The upcoming boxing match between YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul and boxing legend Mike Tyson has drawn criticism from across the combat sports world, with many citing the vast age disparity as a safety concern.
Scheduled for July 20 on Netflix streaming, the fight has been widely condemned, with calls for Paul to face more age-appropriate opponents.
UFC president Dana White, already embroiled in a war of words with Paul concerning fighter pay, has joined the chorus of disapproval. White has been a vocal critic of the matchup, expressing his concern about the significant age difference.
In a recent UFC press conference, White stated:
"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."
Taking his criticism a step further, White took to social media to share a humorous meme seemingly aimed at Paul. The meme depicts a fictional fight poster featuring Paul facing off against none other than Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood, currently 93 years old.
Check out the meme shared by Dana White below:
Mike Tyson's trainer assures fans about health concerns ahead of Jake Paul fight
Mike Tyson's upcoming exhibition bout against Jake Paul on July 20 has sparked concerns regarding the boxing legend's health. However, his trainer, Rafael Cordeiro, has emphatically dismissed such worries.
Tyson, last seen in a lackluster exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, is scheduled to face Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. While the exact nature of the fight (exhibition or professional) remains unclear, questions have swirled about the 57-year-old Tyson's physical well-being stepping back into the ring.
Cordeiro, who cornered Tyson for the Jones Jr. fight, recently addressed these concerns on Ariel Helwani's The MMA Hour podcast. He emphasized that fans should not be "concerned about [his health and safety]:
"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 beginning to the end."
Check out Rafael Cordeiro's comment below: