Oscar De La Hoya Urges Jake Paul to Respect Boxing, Cautions Against Bout with Mike Tyson
Oscar De La Hoya has issued a stern warning to Jake Paul, advising the YouTube sensation-turned-boxer to take the sport of boxing seriously. This comes after Paul's promotional firm, Most Valuable Promotions, announced a scheduled bout between Paul and former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Paul, fresh off a first-round stoppage win against Ryan Bourland in Puerto Rico, expressed his desire to face undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. However, instead of pursuing that goal, he swiftly arranged a match with Tyson, a move that De La Hoya deems dangerous and inappropriate. At 58 years old, Tyson will step into the ring against Paul, who is 30 years his junior. De La Hoya emphasized the importance of Paul taking the sport seriously and not merely using it as a platform to boost his own popularity. "Jake Paul, if you want to be a world champion and take this sport seriously, then take it seriously," De La Hoya emphasized in an interview with FightHype. "This is not a popularity contest. If he fights the right fights and takes the right path, he can actually get there." De La Hoya expressed concern that facing a faded Tyson would do little to further Paul's career ambitions and could even detract from Tyson's legacy. Despite Tyson's age and prolonged absence from professional boxing, De La Hoya believes he could still go six to eight rounds based on his experience and resilience. "It will not be dangerous for Tyson because he has faced monsters in the ring," De La Hoya commented. "But I'm just concerned about Tyson's legacy." #OscarDeLaHoya #JakePaul #MikeTyson #Boxing
