Mike Tyson praised Jake Paul for helping boxing
Not everyone is a fan of Jake Paul, but Mike Tyson seems to be on board.
'The Problem Child' has quickly become one of the biggest names in the sport. His unorthodox career has seen him step up in competition each time out. He's faced a number of fighters from Nate Robinson to Anderson Silva.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer hasn't been welcomed by the entire community though. He has been criticized for cherry-picking and not fighting an established boxer. His most recent win over 'The Spider' was the first time a Paul opponent had boxed prior to facing the 25-year-old.
However, one name that is a fan of Jake Paul is Mike Tyson. 'Iron Mike' is one of the most legendary boxers to ever put on gloves and his endorsement carries a lot of weight.
Following Tyson's exhibition fight with Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020, he gave that endorsement to the YouTuber. In the veteran's eyes, individuals like Paul are putting a big light on boxing and deserve praise, not slack.
In his post-fight press conference two years ago, Mike Tyson stated:
"These guys make boxing alive. Boxing was pretty much a dying sport, UFC was kicking our butt. Now we got these YouTuber boxers with 25 million views. Boxing is coming back thanks to the YouTube boxers."
Watch his comments in the video below:
Mike Tyson made some big claims about YouTuber boxing after Jake Paul fought on his undercard…
[📽️ @Triller] https://t.co/oXgLjXrjZ5
Would Mike Tyson fight Jake Paul?
While it seems that won't happen now, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul have spoken many times about fighting each other.
Following his one-off exhibition match with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, 'Iron Mike' stated he would likely compete again, possibly even in a professional contest. While no opponent was announced, many thought he would face a fellow veteran such as Lennox Lewis.
Instead, rumors quickly arose that Tyson would face either Logan or Jake Paul in the future. For his part, the former heavyweight champion publicly lobbied for a fight with 'The Problem Child' in interviews earlier this year.
Thank you to the great Mike Tyson for the respect and opportunity. This year we are making it happen. https://t.co/dlGQUf2EP0
The YouTuber later responded on social media and agreed to make the fight later this year. However, there's been zero traction on that front since then, as Paul has since defeated Anderson Silva and will likely fight Nate Diaz next in 2023.
Given that Mike Tyson stated he would only fight Jake Paul if the matchup happens this year, it seems that fans can kiss that bout goodbye.