Eddie Hearn rips into Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight
Renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has labeled the upcoming fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, scheduled for November in Texas, as “dangerous, irresponsible, and disrespectful to boxing.” Hearn expressed his concerns regarding the return of Tyson, 58, who hasn’t fought professionally since 2005. In contrast, Jake Paul, 27, boasts a record of 10 wins out of 11 professional bouts.
While Hearn will attend the event to support Katie Taylor in her rematch against Amanda Serrano, he plans to leave before the main fight.
“The reality is that 20 years ago, when Mike Tyson retired from the sport, he was shot, completely finished,” Hearn noted. “It was actually sad to watch then, 20 years ago.”
In an interview with BBC Sports, Hearn reiterated his belief that it is risky for Tyson to return to the ring for a professional fight. Notably, Tyson participated in an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
“I’m in awe of him. He’s one of my favorite fighters ever, one of the greatest of all time, but he’s a 58-year-old man,” Hearn added. “You only need to speak to him and look at him to know this guy should not be in a ring again.”
The fight between Tyson and Paul, set to take place at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, has faced widespread criticism due to the age and experience gap. Jake Paul has defended the matchup, claiming that Tyson’s experience levels the playing field. However, Hearn disagrees. “If I was Jake Paul, I’d just feel a bit embarrassed, to be honest with you,” he stated. “This is dangerous, irresponsible, and, in my opinion, disrespectful to the sport of boxing.”
Hearn also pointed out that the fight was previously postponed due to Tyson’s health issues, which should have been a warning sign. He remarked that financial incentives can sometimes lead to poor decisions, referencing the Tyson vs. Paul fight.
“Everybody loves a dollar bill, including me, but sometimes the green-eyed monster can make you make bad decisions—and I think this is one of them,” Hearn commented.
Despite his criticisms, Hearn will attend the event to support Katie Taylor in her rematch against Serrano. Taylor, 38, is set to face Serrano in one of the most significant fights in women’s boxing, which Hearn highlighted as the biggest payday of Taylor’s career. However, he confirmed that he will not stay for the Tyson vs. Paul bout, stating, “I won’t be watching the main event. We’ll be there defending the belts, and then I’ll be off.”
#EddieHearn #MikeTyson #JakePaul #BoxingNews #TysonVsPaul #DangerousFight #BoxingCritique #KatieTaylor #AmandaSerrano #DallasCowboysStadium #SportsIntegrity #BoxingPromoter #BoxingEvents
