Once upon a time, boxers would genuinely fear for their lives when entering the ring against Mike Tyson. However, with age catching up to ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’, Jake Paul openly claimed he would knock out Tyson in their upcoming fight on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas. And guess what! Fellow heavyweight Deontay Wilder is worried—the same fate awaits the legend of boxing. 

Not that long ago, reports revealed that the much-talked-about fight would be sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as a proper professional boxing event. This left many wondering whether Tyson has enough in his tank to beat Paul, which seems to include the ‘Bronze Bomber.’ While speaking to James Bisson from Sportsbook Review, Wilder expressed his concerns about the fight! 

Deontay Wilder thinks Mike Tyson is too old for this

When youth and experience finally collide in the ring over a month from now, ‘The Problem Child’ will be 27, whereas Tyson will be 58, creating a 31-year-old age gap. So, when asked about his thoughts on the matter, Wilder, like his fights in the ring, didn’t pull his punches. “I think it’s bad the commission has licensed Mike because he hasn’t been active in 20 years,” said Wilder. 

It’s worth mentioning that Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, albeit in an exhibition bout. Nevertheless, Wilder said, “God forbid he gets hurt. There’s lots of examples where guys have been hit into a coma. He’s too old for this.” Elaborating further on his point, the hardest puncher in boxing said, “No one gives a f*** about Mike, because if they did they wouldn’t sanction the fight… I don’t want the last thing I remember of him to be him getting knocked out by a Youtuber.”

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While Wilder just seems worried about Tyson, this English promoter is worried about the sport of boxing, claiming the Paul vs. Tyson fight is a “circus.”

Boxxer CEO slams Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight

Despite being declared a professional bout of late, it was originally planned as an exhibition. There was also some doubt as to whose idea it was to turn the thing into a full-blown pro fight, with both fighters pointing at each other. Regardless, when Ben Shalom was asked about the fight and whether he would promote such an event, let’s just say he had an opinion. 

Speaking to Mirror Sports, Shalom said, “As long as it’s clear that it’s not real boxing, I think definitely. It’s a spectacle, it’s a form of entertainment.” He further added, “There’s no way you can justify a 57-year-old fighting in a professional fight. For me, that’s where things need to be clear, and then the sport doesn’t suffer. I think it does suffer if boxing is seen as a circus. But as a form of entertainment, people can do what they want.”

There’s no saying what would happen when Mike Tyson and Jake Paul meet in the ring in July! While some seem confident about Tyson knocking Paul’s head off in the very first round, others can’t seem to stop worrying about their childhood hero. What’s your take on all this? Do you think Tyson is in any danger? Let us know in the comment section below.