Mike Tyson 'shouldn't be fighting' Jake Paul as boxing promoter rages over 'ridiculous' clash

Mike Tyson 'shouldn't be fighting' Jake Paul as boxing promoter rages over 'ridiculous' clash

WATCH NOW: Trailer ahead of Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 10/05/2024

- 08:25

The two Americans will meet in Arlington, Texas, on July 20

Frank Warren is unhappy that Mike Tyson is fighting Jake Paul later this year, with the boxing promoter branding the upcoming showdown 'ridiculous'.

Tyson and Paul announced they would be fighting on July 20 back in March, with Netflix set to stream the battle to millions around the world.


It has divided the boxing world, however, with Ricky Hatton and Eddie Hearn both criticising the upcoming event.

Warren, who once promoted a Tyson fight back in the 1990s, has now had his say on the matter.

Mike Tyson Jake Paul

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are set to fight in Texas on July 20

INSTAGRAM/GETTY

And the 72-year-old, speaking to talkSPORT, has claimed Tyson 'shouldn't be fighting' Paul.

“I’m a big fan of Jake Paul as a promoter, very smart operator, they obviously see this as a fight that will generate public interest and obviously money," he said.

"But let’s get it right, Mike Tyson is 58 years of age and shouldn’t be fighting. It’s as simple as that.

"If it was an exhibition you might half get away with that but the fact that good old Texas has licenced a 58-year-old to fight...

"What does anybody need to say about that, anybody with an ounce of brains can see that is ridiculous.”

Warren has now joined Hatton and Hearn in condemning the fight.

Hatton, speaking in March, said boxing legends of yesteryear would be 'turning in their graves' over the clash.

“I get the pushing and the shoving and the name calling and holding each other back, but some of the great champions of old will be turning in the grave watching that c**p to be honest with you," he said.

"I’ll be turning in my grave and watching it myself.

"But, I’ve got my eyes open in the sense that this is the world that we’re in now.

"We’re in the entertainment business. YouTubers against MMA and MMA against boxers, I think that world can exist.

"As long as fights like Garcia, Crawford and Spence, Fury and Usyk happen. As long as those fights are made, they can stay in their world and we’ll stay in our world.

"Both can exist, I’m not turning around and saying, ‘oh, this is a joke’. We’re in the entertainment world, that’s the reason why they {YouTubers} have the followings they have, because people want to see it.

"But let them have their world and we’ll have our world.”

And Hearn previously said he finds it 'incredibly sad' that Tyson and Paul will do battle.

LATEST SPORTS NEWS:

Frank Warren

Frank Warren has raged over Mike Tyson's upcoming boxing match with Jake Paul

PA

"It's a big event," said the 44-year-old. "I'm the wrong person to ask because I love boxing, so for me it's incredibly sad.

"Mike Tyson's nearly 60. I get it, a lot of people are gonna tune in.

"But my opinion as a hardcore fight fan - it's very sad."

Tyson, meanwhile, seems to be taking the fight seriously.

The boxing icon has wowed fans with his punching power in footage uploaded to social media.

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson has been wowing fans with his phenomenal punching power ahead of his fight with Jake Paul

INSTAGRAM

And Tyson will be hoping to wind back the clock when he goes to war with Paul in July.

Full details surrounding the fight are set to be announced in due course, but over 120,000 fans have already signed up for pre-sale tickets despite the controversy surrounding the bout.

You may like