Mike Tyson warned "dangerous" Jake Paul fight will damage his boxing legacy

Mike Tyson has been told his boxing legacy is on the line when he fights Jake Paul in the summer.

'Iron Mike' is back in the ring on July 20 for a one-off fight against social media sensation Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Texas. Tyson hung up his gloves almost two decades ago but did return for an exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020 and Paul fought for the second time as a professional on the undercard when he KO'd NBA star Nate Robinson.

The fine details of Paul vs Tyson such as the amount of rounds and contracted weight are currently unclear, but both men won't be wearing headgear. UFC bad-boy Colby Covington is amongst those who have criticised the fight as he expressed his concerns over Tyson's health.

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“I don’t like it at all,” Covington said on Soscast. “Mike still looks like a superhuman for but he’s still 57 years old. He shouldn’t be fighting anymore. I don’t think it’s safe. I think it’s dangerous at that age. Your heart might explode. He gets hit in the head, he might have a brain bleed. I hope Mike Tyson makes it through injury-free and doesn’t get hurt.

“I think Jake is going to probably knock him out within the first two minutes. If he doesn’t, it’ll be because he’s carrying him and he’s trying to make the freak show look like it’s a competitive fight. I hate the fight. I think it takes away from Mike Tyson’s legacy when a guy like this comes in and beats him, a YouTuber comes in and beats the ‘baddest man on the planet’ and the most feared man.”

Tyson will be 58 by the time he steps foot in the ring as their is a massive 30-year age gap between him and Paul. Tyson has been highly complimentary of Paul's transition from internet fame to boxing, but the influencer has promised to 'sleep' the former heavyweight champion.

"Whether you're team Paul or team Tyson, or whether you’re a lifelong boxing fan or watching your first fight, you’re not going to want to miss this event. I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of the world, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. Time to put Iron Mike to sleep," Paul said.