Anthony Joshua agreed with Tyson Fury when discussing Mike Tyson’s boxing match with Jake Paul. On July 20 the the former world heavyweight champion will battle against the social media megastar at Texas’ AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Plenty of boxing fans, former fighters and members of the media have shared their thoughts on the upcoming contest, with many expressing their concerns. This is because Tyson will be 58 years of age on fight night and more than 30 years older than Paul.
The YouTuber is in prime physical condition and has won nine of his 10 professional fights. Tyson on the other hand, last fought in any capacity in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match. But while Fury was criticised for suggesting the fight was good for boxing, AJ, who defeated Francis Ngannou with a second-round knockout in March, expressed a similar point of view.
“I personally think it’s really good,” the 34-year-old said during an appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show. “I think the boxing hardcores, they don’t like it because they think ‘Why are they disrespecting our sport?’ But I think that person brings all these people into boxing which benefits everyone else. Everyone viewing helps.”
During an appearance on The Stomping Ground YouTube channel in March, Fury said: “You’ve got a legend in Mike Tyson, you’ve got a YouTube boxer who’s come into the game and blew it up and has got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes – good, bad or indifferent.
“Some people love [Paul], some people hate him. So, I think it’s a really good spectacle for boxing, brings a lot of people to the game. It’s a great stadium, it’ll be fantastic for the guys. Both are getting paid, both are gonna put on a show. I just don’t know what’s not to like.”
Despite the push for Tyson and Paul to fight in a professional capacity, ‘Iron Mike’ confirmed the bout would be an exhibition, though he claimed it would have the feel of a really intense and physical fight. Under exhibition rules, fighters have to wear 16-ounce gloves instead of the 10-ounce ones used in professional battles.
Furthermore, the rounds last two minutes instead of three, and there will be no official judges to score the match. “This is called an exhibition,” Tyson told Fox News. “But if you look up exhibition, you won’t see any of the laws we’re fighting under. This is a fight.
“I don’t think he’s faster than me. I’ve seen a YouTube video of him at 16 doing weird dancing, [but] that’s not the guy I’m fighting. This is a guy who’s going to try and hurt me, which I’m accustomed to, and he’s going to be greatly mistaken.”
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