Mike Tyson hits out at "jealous" critics of Jake Paul boxing fight

Mike Tyson has defended his fight against Jake Paul by insisting it will generate billions of views.

Boxing icon 'Iron Mike' is making a return to the ring this summer when he faces social media sensation Jake Paul at Texas' 80,000 seat AT&T Stadium on July 20. There will be over a 30-year age difference between Paul and Tyson on fight night and the former heavyweight champion has been told he should be nowhere near a boxing ring at his age.

Many of the fight rules are still unclear, but both Paul and Tyson want the fight to be sanctioned as a professional bout. Tyson has now responded to his critics by telling Reuters: "I'm 58 and what? I'm getting billions of views from just talking to somebody about fighting. Everybody, even most of the athletes, they're jealous, that's whack.

"I say in your prime you couldn't draw a million people, man. What are you talking, you couldn't sell out arena. Who at 58 could sell out an 80,000-seat arena? Why you think he wants to fight me and not anybody else? Everybody wants to fight him, all the boxers want to fight him. But if he fought them the only people that will come are the people that like him.

"The other guys, their parents might not even come watch them. That's just keeping it real. They're too boring for their children to watch, it's like watching grass grow." Tyson started training for the fight a few weeks ago despite it still being over three months away, whilst Paul jokingly kicked off his 'training camp' by partying in St Barts.

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If Paul and Tyson's fight is sanctioned as an exhibition, it's likely that no judges will score the fight and rounds will be two minutes instead of three. Tela Mange, Communications Manager for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, said the only information they have received about the card so far is the date.

"The promoter will need to submit proposed cards before we determine whether a particular contest would be considered as an exhibition or a professional fight, or how a proposed exhibition might be structured. We can also request additional testing if we think it’s appropriate," Mange told USA Today Sports.