Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya has urged Mike Tyson to “be careful” in his upcoming bout against “real fighter” Jake Paul. The former unified heavyweight world champion will make his return to the professional boxing ranks 19 years on from his last sanctioned fight when he takes on YouTuber-turned-fighter Paul in Arlington in July.
The event has been sanctioned as a professional bout by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, although the rules have been tweaked to account for Tyson’s age. The 57-year-old will face Paul, 27, over eight two-minute rounds at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, on July 20.
The fighters will also use 14oz gloves rather than the standard 10oz used in the heavyweight division, meaning there will be more padding behind the punches. Monday’s announcement that the fight will be contested under professional rules rather than being an exhibition has sparked concerns for Tyson’s safety against a man 30 years his junior.
Former six-weight world champion De La Hoya is among them. He told TMZ: “I’m going to pray for Mike Tyson, ’cause I love Mike Tyson. I think Jake Paul, look, he’s a real fighter. He really is. It’s a dangerous fight. Mike Tyson, be careful, please.”
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Paul holds a 9-1 professional record in the boxing ring, with his only defeat coming by split decision to Tommy Fury last year. But critics say his record has been padded and manicured with bouts against aging MMA stars and unknown boxers.
But “The Problem Child” is an odds-on favourite to claim victory against Iron Mike (50-6) when they step into the ring. However, De La Hoya insists the result of the fight will have no impact on Tyson’s standing in the sport. “No, Mike Tyson is cemented, legacy, forever,” De La Hoya added. “Mike Tyson will be the man forever.”
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, insists both fighters wanted the bout to be professionally sanctioned from the outset. He said: “Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome.
“Over the past six weeks, MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul vs. Tyson and we are grateful that we have gotten to this point.”
Irish boxing legend Katie Taylor will face old foe Amanda Serrano on the undercard of the event with the undisputed super lightweight crown on the line. The event will be broadcast internationally on Netflix.