Mike Tyson already had scores of fans and followers worried. 20 years after he retired from professional boxing, the living legend will return to the ring on July 20. He will face 'The Problem Child' Jake Paul. However, 'Iron' Mike will be 58 when he faces the 27-year-old Ohioan at the AT&T Stadium. Now, a mid-air health-related emergency has only added to those concerns over his vulnerability. Amidst concerns over the fate of their fight, both Tyson and Paul have insisted that the match will continue as planned. One of the developments arising out of the latest incident has been criticism of Jake Paul.
From across several corners, the YouTuber-turned-boxer is being blasted, especially over the way he has been picking up his fights against opponents way out of their prime. It doesn't mean there's a dearth of support for him. Probably, it might be surprising even to Paul's ears. Three years after his elder fought him, and then following their own unsettling encounter, Floyd Mayweather Jr. seemingly came out in support of 'The Problem Child'. The undefeated former champion was in an interview, and this is what he said when asked about Jake Paul's boxing credentials.
So as the show neared its end, Mayweather Jr. shared his thoughts on a potential rematch with Logan Paul. Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson, the host at 'It is What It Is', then inquired about Jake Paul. The younger Paul brother has a match lined up against Mike Tyson in July. So she wanted to know what the former world champion thought 'defined a real boxer'. She felt that most of the followers still seemed confused about whether to label Jake Paul a YouTuber boxer or a real boxer.
Floyd Mayweather on Jake Paul fighting Mike Tyson: "What he's doing is kinda cool. If he can continue to steal money and they match him the way they match him, I can't knock his hustle." [It Is What It Is]
- Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) May 30, 2024
"How do you feel like you get out of that bubble to make somebody a real boxer?" Wilson asked. 'The Money' replied, "I mean what what he's doing is, I mean, kind of cool if he can, if he can continue to steal money, and uh, and they match him the way they match him, I can't knock his hustle, so if they can match him the way they how they've been matching him more more power to him."
Now that might have come as a shocker to many fans. Last year, after an NBA game in Miami, Jake Paul came across Floyd Mayweather Jr. and entourage. Soon, the two sides started exchanging words. Completely cornered, 'The Problem Child' was forced to find a way out. Clips show him running away from the confrontation, which went viral subsequently. It's a different matter, Paul later claimed that the whole incident was nothing but a publicity gimmick.
However, other prominent voices haven't been so discerning while judging Jake Paul and his boxing career.
The Other Side of the River, Jake Paul?
In a scathing attack, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping lambasted 'The Problem Child' for the way he has been picking up his opponents. Speaking on his channel, 'The Count' while reviewing Mike Tyson's medical issues, said, "(Jake Paul) claims to be a fighter; (he) talks about fighting Canelo and all these people and calling out proper fighters that are way past their prime." According to Bisping, Paul fought Anderson Silva when the Brazilian legend was nearing 50. Then he took on an out-of-prime Tyron Woodley or someone like Ben Askren, a fighter who had barely thrown a punch in his life.
But when his turn came to face a real boxer like Tommy Fury, 'The Problem Child' slipped. However, the problem persists. Jake Paul should be fighting opponents who are young, matching his age and skill. Instead, he is cherry-picking opponents who are at the older end of the age spectrum.
Probably the debate over Jake Paul's legacy will continue for a long time. The argument over his facing opponents, who are often semi-retired and much older, would have many takers. However, it cannot be denied either that Paul has been one of the biggest draws of recent times. More than what some of the professional champions could manage, he has managed to pull crowds back to arenas.
Do you agree with what Floyd Mayweather Jr. said about Jake Paul? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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