Jake Paul has been warned that there could be public outcry to ban boxing should he inflict harm on Mike Tyson.
The duo are set to throw down in Arlington, Texas on 15 November, after their initial bout was postponed due to a medical scare involving the legendary former heavyweight champ. Concerns continue to loom regarding Tyson’s fitness, who at 58, has confessed that training makes it “hard to walk”, and faces a medical review before stepping into the ring with Paul.
Ex-fighter Paulie Malignaggi has warned former Disney star Paul, suggesting that a backlash against the entire sport could erupt if Tyson takes a hit from his much younger opponent. He commented: “Head blows from young, strong guys at Mike’s age aren’t good. When you’re younger, you can handle hits better.”
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He added: “When you’re older, your body isn’t made for that kind of damage anymore. Things could go badly wrong. If something like that happened, people would be calling for the sport to be banned. Personally, I don’t think his fight with Jake Paul should happen. He’ll be 58 years old by then. Fifty-eight is still 58.
“We live in a generation that doesn’t understand ageing is a real thing. You can show highlights of Mike from the ’80s, but the guy stepping into the ring won’t be that same Mike Tyson.”
Malignaggi continued his warning, expressing serious concern that Paul could potentially harm Tyson due to his age. In a chat with Canada Casino, he stated: “Jake Paul might not be world-class, but he’s certainly not a novice. He’s been boxing for about five years. After four years of boxing, I won the US National Championships, so Jake’s far from a beginner. He’s strong and young. Hitting someone Tyson’s age has serious risks,” reports the Mirror.
(Image: Allsport)
He continued: “Tyson wasn’t taking punches well at 36, let alone now. If you hit a guy who’s that old, it affects them. Imagine what getting hit by a strong guy like Jake would do to him. I wouldn’t want to find out.”
However, Malignaggi is not the only one voicing concerns over the upcoming fight. UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock fears that fans could effectively be left grieving for a boxing icon should Paul emerge victorious.
He said: “Here’s what I say because like I said, I think what Jake Paul and them guys are doing is brilliant, I really do,” Shamrock expressed. “I think them never fighting a contender but making more money than any world championship fight is brilliant. I mean it’s brilliant but this one’s not good. Because Jake Paul can’t win.
“[If Paul] wins, there’s a huge bad taste in the world of boxing. It’s a disappointment to an organisation that has loved Mike Tyson. It is like the death of somebody and it should be victorious for Jake Paul and I think on that small group of people that are following, yes, but, in that whole atmosphere of boxing, it’s gonna feel like somebody died.”