"I talked to his wife a couple days ago" - Dana White says 57-year-old Mike Tyson training "seriously" for Jake Paul boxing match
This summer, Mike Tyson is set to make his return to the boxing ring when he faces Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 20. It will mark his first time competing since facing Roy Jones Jr. in a 2020 exhibition bout. The fight has received plenty of criticism, as the International Boxing Hall of Famer will be 31 years older than his opponent when they enter the ring.
Dana White recently revealed that 'Iron Mike' is training seriously for the upcoming fight. During a recent appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, the UFC President and CEO stated:
"I love Mike Tyson and I'm not a fan of anybody fighting at our age, but he's a grown man, obviously, and he's going to do what he's going to do, but at least I know I talked to his wife a couple days ago and he's taking it serious and he's training for it and you know, so we'll see how it plays out."
Furthermore, White added:
"I think that Mike Tyson is actually one of those unique guys who has crossed over. Any of these other boxers from his era, they have no way of making money other than fighting. Mike Tyson has made a lot of money outside of fighting. I mean, Tyson still has that aura. You could be at a restaurant and he walks in and you're like, 'holy f**k, Mike Tyson's here'."
Check out Dana White's comments below (starting at the 1:02:34 mark):
White added that Tyson's aura allows him to thrive, financially, outside of boxing. He noted, however, that the former WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion likely received an offer to return to the ring that he could not refuse.
Bernard Hopkins is not a fan of Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul
Mike Tyson's return against Jake Paul has received plenty of criticism as the former will be 58 years old when they enter the ring, while the latter will be just 27 years old. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, International Boxing Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins spoke out against the bout, stating:
"I don't like it. I don't like it. I look at Mike, I look at him different in a way of my era, like people looked at [Muhammad] Ali and I looked at Ali different, too. Marvin Hagler, 'Sugar' Ray Robinson. I don't like it. I think it's becoming more of a side show with some sweat and maybe some blood, if we're lucky. I won't watch it. I could watch two turtles race and be more excited."
Check out Bernard Hopkins' comments below (starting at the 14:50 mark):
Hopkins added that his comments are due to how he views Tyson, claiming that the bout degrades him, regardless of the finances behind it. It remains to be seen if the bout will be an exhibition or if it will mark 'Iron Mike's' first professional fight since 2005.