Mike Tyson draws "coma" concerns from heavyweight boxer ahead of Jake Paul fight - "He's too old for this"
A heavyweight boxer is concerned about Mike Tyson's upcoming boxing match against Jake Paul. The fight is scheduled for July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be streamed live on Netflix.
Both fighters and fans opposed the bout announcement to some extent, with Tyson and Paul's age difference being the main source of contention. 'Iron' will be 58 years old and his opponent will be 27 when the fight takes place.
The fighter mentioned above is Deontay Wilder, who slammed the commission for sanctioning it as a pro bout. This means the bout would consist of eight two-minute rounds and 14-ounce gloves. Since this is a recognized professional match, the result will be registered on their records.
During an interview with Sportsbook Review, 'The Bronze Bomber' criticized the commission for failing to ensure Tyson's safety. He does not want 'Iron' to suffer an embarrassing knockout loss against Paul.
Wilder said:
''I think it's bad the commission has licensed Mike because he hasn't been active in 20 years. God forbid he gets hurt. There's lots of examples where guys have been hit into a coma. He's too old for this. At the end of the day, no one gives a f**k about Mike, because if they did they wouldn't sanction the fight… I don't want the last thing I remember of him to be him getting knocked out by a Youtuber.”
Paul faced Ryan Bourland in the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan on March 2 in his last boxing match. The 27-year-old defeated his opponent in the first round to improve his record to 9-1.
Tyson has not competed in a professional fight since 2005. In his last boxing appearance, he faced fellow great Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition bout at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on Nov. 28, 2020. The fight ended in a split draw.
Deontay Wilder feels Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight has too many risks
Deontay Wilder doesn't think the commission made the right choice in sanctioning Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson.
In the aforementioned interview, the former WBC heavyweight champion mentioned that 'Iron's' health might be at risk by entering the ring for that kind of fight. If anything unfortunate were to happen to the boxing legend, he cautioned the promoters and commission that they would have to bear the repercussions.
''They may say they've done these tests and all that, okay, but as long as you're willing to suffer the consequences if something bad goes wrong." [H/T Sportsbook Review]