Tag: Jake Paul

Bernard Hopkins disappointed that Mike Tyson is fighting Jake Paul: ‘I just think it degrades him’

Boxing legend Bernard Hopkins shares his thoughts on Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul, and he’s not cool with it.

[autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] is not something boxing legend [autotag]Bernard Hopkins[/autotag] is into at all.

The multiple-time world champion thinks that Tyson is making a mistake by fighting Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer who’s 30 years younger than him. Tyson, an icon and one of the greatest in the history of boxing, is held in high regard by Hopkins – which is why he’s not on board with him fighting Paul.

“I don’t like it. I don’t like it,” Hopkins told Fight Hub TV and other reporters on Tuesday. “I look at Mike, I look at him different in a way of my era, like people looked at Ali. 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.”

Paul vs. Tyson is scheduled for July 20 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and will live stream on Netflix. The exact ruleset is unclear at the moment and has yet to be released by the promoters.

Hopkins thinks Tyson fighting at 57 years of age is a bad look for his legacy. He thinks it cheapens his stock in boxing to be fighting someone like Paul.

“It’s because of how I look at Mike Tyson,” Hopkins said. “I’ve shared not only the ring with Mike Tyson a few times, but the era, a little tip of the era. I just think it degrades him. You’re getting 100 million, 200 million. Please, OK.”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Like boxing? Be sure to visit Boxing Junkie for all your coverage of the sweet science and follow @BoxingJunkie2 on Twitter.

Tyson Fury: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson ‘a really good spectacle for boxing’

Contrary to most, Tyson Fury likes the matchup between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.

Contrary to most, [autotag]Tyson Fury[/autotag] likes the matchup between [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag].

Boxing legend Tyson (50-6) will be 58 when he faces 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Paul (9-1) on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The event will stream live on Netflix.

WBC heavyweight champion Fury thinks a fight like this will only help bring more eyes to the sport.

“I think it’s fantastic for boxing,” Fury said on The Stomping Ground. “You’ve got a legend in Mike Tyson, you’ve got a YouTube boxer who’s come into the game and blew it up, and he’s got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes – good, bad or indifferent. Some people love him, some people hate him.

“I think it’s a really good spectacle for boxing – brings a lot of people to the game. Listen, who am I to say, ‘Oh, Mike Tyson shouldn’t be boxing,’ or ‘Jake Paul shouldn’t be boxing’? Good luck to them. They’re both going to make what I call a sh*t-ton of money out of it.”

The age difference has caused outrage from many notable names in combat sports. Tyson hasn’t competed since battling Roy Jones Jr. to a draw in their exhibition boxing match in November 2020 – his first fight in 15 years. Despite Paul being the younger and far more active fighter, Fury says we can’t forget Tyson’s accolades.

“It’d be fantastic for the guys, both getting paid, both going to put on a show – I just don’t know what’s not to like,” Fury said. “Oh, OK, (Tyson’s) 57 years old, but he’s a former undisputed world heavyweight king. And (Paul) plays computers for a living, and he’s come to boxing about a year ago, so pretty even match. … People say, ‘Oh, it’s sh*t,’ this, that and the other. But I’ll bet they still watch it. Who’s not intrigued?”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Teddy Atlas has no issue with Jake Paul vs. 57-year-old Mike Tyson

Teddy Atlas thinks Jake Paul is taking a big risk by fighting Mike Tyson.

A lot has been said about [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag]’s upcoming bout against 57-year-old [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag].

While some have criticized the matchup due to the 30-year age gap, others have grown intrigued by two combat sports stars colliding. [autotag]Teddy Atlas[/autotag], legendary boxing trainer, is on board with the fight and has no issue with Paul fighting Tyson.

Atlas likes that Paul is fighting someone heavier than him, as it’s usually the opposite case. He also thinks that Tyson, even at 57, still has power behind his punches, which makes him a threat to Paul.

“First of all, he’s actually fighting a guy who finally – I know he’s much older than him – but he’s actually the bigger guy because Paul fights about cruiserweight,” Atlas said on his YouTube channel. “(Tyson) is naturally the bigger guy. He’s fighting a legendary iconic fighter, a guy who’s one of the greatest punchers in heavyweight history, one of the greatest punchers ever – with either hand, and he’s got combinations with speed and power.

“Yeah, he’s 58 years old. Yeah, the end of his career wasn’t too good before he got out. But one of the last things that go with a fighter, it’s his power.”

Given the threat that Atlas thinks Tyson still poses, plus his age, Atlas thinks Paul is in a lose-lose situation, and that’s why he credits him for taking the fight.

“I think this is a very dangerous fight for Paul,” Atlas said. “I think early on, I think he might be making a mistake. First of all, for me, he don’t have a lot (to win) other than money, and he’s made plenty of money. There’s not a lot of winning on his side because if he wins, they say he’s 58 years old and if he loses they say he’s 58 years old, and he lost to a 58-year-old guy. For me, he’s got a lot more to lose than Tyson – a lot more.

“… There’s nothing to lose for Tyson. If he wins, he’s even bigger. People are going to thank him. ‘Thank you for ending this charade’ – that’s what they’re going to say. ‘Thank you for teaching this guy that you’re either a fighter or you’re not a fighter. You can’t go from being a YouTuber to being a fighter.’ For the people that believe that, that feel that way, that don’t like Paul, they’re going to prop Tyson even higher.”

Paul vs. Tyson is scheduled for July 20 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and will live stream on Netflix. The exact ruleset and details on whether this will be a fully professional bout are unclear at the moment and have yet to be released by the promoters.

Atlas questioned whether it will be a fully sanctioned professional fight, and not because of the reasons many may think.

“Unless this is a WWE agreement, which I don’t know that it is – I never said this before because I think all these fights are legitamate, and they are and have been – but this one makes me wonder,” Atlas said. “I’m not questioning the integrity of Paul. In fact, I like his integrity. I like what I’ve seen in the guy. … I’m just saying, if there was a time I would question it, this would be the time because I can’t see, unless Paul is that confident, that Tyson is too old now, and he’s that good, because Paul has been getting more confident, and he does have a good right hand and does punch well with it and Tyson leads with left hooks. Maybe Paul thinks he can hit him with a right hand, I don’t know. All I know is that this is the first time I’ve said, ‘I wonder if there’s an agreement, because if there’s no agreement, Paul might be making a mistake. … I’m surprised Paul is taking this risk. … Power doesn’t disappear even when you’re old. He’s still got speed in the combinations. He’s still got that style.”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Like boxing? Be sure to visit Boxing Junkie for all your coverage of the sweet science and follow @BoxingJunkie2 on Twitter.

Dewey Cooper not in love with Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul pairing, but …

Like a lot of people in the fight game, Dewey Cooper had mixed emotions about Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Like a lot of people in the fight game and peripheral to it, Dewey Cooper wound up with two key words when he heard [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] was going to box [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag].

“Mixed emotions.”

On one hand, hearing “Iron” Mike is going to fight again brings up plenty of emotions, given he’s an all-time heavyweight boxing great. But on the other, this isn’t the Tyson from his championship days. It’s not even the Tyson from his cameo in “The Hangover,” which was 15 years ago – more than a full career ago for most combat sports athletes.

The Tyson of 2024 will be 58 when he fights Paul, who will be about 30 years his junior.

“Mixed emotions,” Cooper told MMA Junkie while in Saudi Arabia to work with Francis Ngannou this past week, and Tyson worked with Ngannou for his boxing debut. “I brought guys for Jake Paul to spar when he was getting ready for Nate Robertson and Ben Askren. I’ve seen him in the gym a lot. I used to be BJ Flores’ coach, his coach at those times. So I was in the gym with him a lot. By the way, real cool guy. Nothing like the people probably would think.

“I’ve been knowing Mike Tyson since the ’90s. Mike’s an awesome guy, an incredible guy. He’s helped our team. It’s a sensitive situation for me.”

Cooper said Tyson’s age has just about everything to do with his take, even if he understands the financial stakes for everyone are too good to pass up.

“At 58, the way Mike looks on the pads and everything, he can still do it,” Cooper said. “Just, will he be dedicated to training a real camp? And will he take Jake Paul seriously? Does Jake Paul have enough to motivate Mike Tyson, is the biggest question in my mind. If he does, it’s a serious fight for Jake Paul. If he doesn’t, then Jake Paul has an opportunity to beat an iconic legend.

“I would rather Jake Paul fight some young boxers – have a rematch with Tommy Fury, something like that, vs. Mike Tyson. But I understand that it’s going to be (big) box office and people are going to be excited about it. I just hope both fighters are okay. That’s a high number in age to be fighting young guys. But if the world wants this, wants to see it, and both men are willing, let’s do it. We’ll see what happens there.”

For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Mike Tyson has an NSFW message for Jake Paul in latest intense training video

Jake Paul might be nervous about another Mike Tyson training video.

Mike Tyson is using social media to try and intimidate Jake Paul as the two fighters prep for a bout that will take place on July 20 live on Netflix.

While I’m not sure if it’s working or not, Tyson already posted an intense video of himself training, and he looks good for someone who’s 57 years old.

He’s now followed that up with another training video, in which he delivers a message: “You want to [expletive] with me?”

We can’t wait to see Paul’s response, or maybe he won’t do it and that’s itself a response. Here’s the video (WARNING: NSFW language ahead!):

Video: Mike Tyson’s ‘Day 2’ training for Jake Paul is sure to hype fans hoping for a vintage knockout

But here’s the thing: It might be wiser to temper your expectations for Mike Tyson in his fight with Jake Paul.

The scheduled July 20 fight between [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] and [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] is ridiculous from the simple standpoint that it pits a 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer against a way-past-his-prime former heavyweight champion who will be 58 when he steps into the ring.

The interesting aspect of the fight is that if you check out social media comments or most forums, you’ll find a lot of fans hoping Tyson will knock out Paul in vicious fashion. On Thursday, Tyson released a video of himself hitting mitts with famed MMA coach Rafael Cordeiro that is sure to stoke optimism about their ideal outcome happening.

Check it out (via Instagram):

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4hBmojJQQC/

Looks great, doesn’t it? But the thing about the edited clip is that … it’s edited.

As far as realistic expectations go, John McCarthy tried to warn everybody this past week on “Spinning Back Clique.”

“Everyone is seeing Mike as the Mike Tyson that we all fell in love with, the Mike Tyson that was just an animal, would go out there with huge power, and just annhilate people,” McCarthy said. “That Mike Tyson is gone, that Mike Tyson doesn’t exist anymore, and that Mike Tyson is what’s needed to put Jake Paul on his ass. We’re not gonna see that Mike Tyson, so unfortunately you’re gonna see Jake Paul win this fight.

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Like boxing? Be sure to visit Boxing Junkie for all your coverage of the sweet science and follow @BoxingJunkie2 on Twitter.

Why Daniel Cormier thinks Jake Paul is in a ‘no-win situation’ boxing Mike Tyson

Daniel Cormier says Jake Paul has nothing to gain in beating Mike Tyson.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] says [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] has nothing to gain in beating [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag].

YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Paul (9-1) meets boxing legend Tyson (50-6) on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The event will stream live for Netflix subscribers.

Tyson is a Hall of Fame world champion boxer, and one of the most famed athletes in history. Cormier thinks Paul would turn fans against him if he was able to put a beating on the much older Tyson, who will be 58 when he steps into the ring against Paul.

“Mike Tyson’s going to be in there at almost 60! Bro, he’s 15 years older than me, almost,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Can you just beat on Mike Tyson? It might ruin (Paul) if he just beats on Mike Tyson. He’s in a no-win situation.

“I don’t know that he thought this one through as much as he probably should have. If you just go out there and you just beat the sh*t out of Mike Tyson, everybody’s going to be really mad at you. If he knocks Mike out, if he just, starches Mike Tyson, it might be over, bro.”

Paul went from boxing UFC notables such as Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz, to relatively unknown professional boxers in Andre August and Ryan Bourland. Now he takes on fan-favorite Tyson, and Cormier questions his decision to fight him.

“He’s very lovable, and that’s the danger in this fight,” Cormier said. “I don’t know. I think Jake Paul might have made a mistake on this one because if he beats up on Mike, dude is in trouble.”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

John McCarthy appalled by Mike Tyson boxing Jake Paul: ‘It drives me crazy’

John McCarthy makes it very clear that he’s ALL THE WAY OUT on Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. “Shame on everyone for this whole thing,” he said.

You want to know what John McCarthy thinks of [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] boxing [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag]? Here you go.

“I hate it. I can’t stand it,” McCarthy said on MMA Junkie’s “Spinning Back Clique.” “It drives me crazy.”

The fight, which is scheduled for July 20 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and will live stream on Netflix, is taking sideshow boxing to a new level of ridiculousness in the eyes of many, considering YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul (9-1) is 30 years younger than former heavyweight champ Tyson (50-6), who will be 58 when he steps into the ring.

When he thinks about this fight happening, “Big” John, a former MMA referee who now works as an analyst for Bellator/PFL, can only call it like he sees it.

“I love Mike Tyson. And Mike Tyson was a great fighter, but what do you think is gonna happen if you put Joe Montana on a football field right now? How good do you think it’s gonna look?” McCarthy said. “There is speed in sports that Mike Tyson has lost – a ton of his speed. …

“I don’t care how good of condition you get in as a 57-year-old, almost 58 when that fight happens – you cannot maintain that conditioning. Anything happens, it goes right out the door, and it takes you forever to kind of get it back. When (he goes) into that ring, he’s gonna get tired. He will get tired much faster than he ever did before based upon his age. Yes, he will have some power, but he doesn’t have the speed to get that power to the target in the same way. I look at this and I go, man, shame on everyone for this whole thing.”

To emphasize his stance, McCarthy recalled Evander Holyfield’s 2021 boxing match with former UFC champ Vitor Belfort, which ended with Belfort winning by TKO. McCarthy said he told Holyfield not to fight Belfort, who was 15 years younger than Holyfield in his late 50s.

“I love Vitor, but he’s not a better boxer than Evander Holyfield, but he could beat an old man that was 50-something years old,” McCarthy said. “I really hope that (Paul vs. Tyson), in the end, doesn’t come about.”

Bottom line for McCarthy is that anywho who is looking forward to Tyson fighting again is simply enamored with the dominant force from years long ago.

“Everyone is seeing Mike as the Mike Tyson that we all fell in love with, the Mike Tyson that was just an animal, would go out there with huge power, and just annhilate people,” McCarthy said. “That Mike Tyson is gone, that Mike Tyson doesn’t exist anymore, and that Mike Tyson is what’s needed to put Jake Paul on his ass. We’re not gonna see that Mike Tyson, so unfortunately you’re gonna see Jake Paul win this fight. And I just hope Mike doesn’t get hurt.”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Dana White reacts to Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match: ‘He gets mad when I do this’

Dana White is not a fan of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight.

MIAMI – [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] is not a fan of the [autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] fight.

Tyson (50-6) will be 58 when he steps in the ring to box 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Paul (9-1) July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The UFC CEO didn’t want to say too much not to upset his good friend Tyson, but doesn’t want to see the boxing legend competing period.

“He gets mad when I do this, but Mike’s 60, man,” White said during the UFC 299 post-fight news conference. “I don’t know, what do you guys think about it? Who gives a sh*t what I think? It’s not my fight.

“I love Mike Tyson personally as a friend, and he’s one of my favorite athletes of all time. I don’t know. Let’s see what he can go in there and put together a training camp and come in. I don’t like to see guys fighting at (that age). It’d be a 31-year age difference during that fight. You guys know what I think of that stuff.”

The fight will air live on Netflix for subscribers, something White appeared to be interested in. The streaming service, arguably the most well-known of its kind in the world, recently signed a deal with WWE to stream its long-running “Raw” weekly series, as well as other ancillary WWE programming, starting in 2025.

The WWE and UFC are paired together as TKO Group Holdings through primary owner Endeavor, which means building blocks already are in place if the UFC ever had a conversation with Netflix for after its current broadcast deal with ESPN expires.

“I think that Netflix should have gotten into live sports years ago,” White said. “I think they’re late to the game, but they are a force. When you look at the amount of homes that they’re in worldwide … the show ‘Reacher’ – I posted about it. I love that show. I f*cking hate TV. I don’t watch any TV show, hardly ever. I don’t watch movies anymore. But I love the show ‘Reacher.’ I can watch ‘Reacher’ whenever I want to. I can watch it when I get home. I can watch it next week. Live sports like (UFC 299) you had to watch tonight, as all these massive streaming companies start to get bigger and bigger, they have to be involved in live sports.”

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.

Once assured it was real, Francis Ngannou threw his support Mike Tyson’s way for Jake Paul fight

Once he was assured it was a real fight, Francis Ngannou threw his support behind pal Mike Tyson ahead of his Jake Paul fight.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – It took a couple times, but [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] still couldn’t really believe it.

[autotag]Mike Tyson[/autotag], who helped him train for his pro boxing debut this past October and was with him on fight night, is going to box [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] in May. Everything about it seemed like it had to be some kind of internet hoax. But once he was assured – again – that it was a very real fight, it’s no surprise where Ngannou’s allegiance went.

“Of course I’ll be there to support Mike,” Ngannou said.

Truth told, Ngannou might have given pause when he was reminded that Tyson will be 58 when the fight happens, and Paul is 30 years his junior. Then again …

“But he can still kick some ass – there’s no doubt about it,” Ngannou said.

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Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 after a contract dispute while he still was heavyweight champion. He signed with the PFL for MMA, but also has executive duties built into his deal – and a chance to box, which he did this past fall against Tyson Fury and shocked the world with an early knockdown, though he lost a controversial split decision.

His showing, though, got him ranked in the WBC top 10, and now he has another big matchup Friday in Saudi Arabia against Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs). An upset win against 4-1 favorite Joshua could set Ngannou (0-1) up for a unified heavyweight title shot in what would be just the third fight of his boxing career.

For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Joshua vs. Ngannou.