Eddie Hearn insists he won’t be able to bring himself to watch Mike Tyson take on Jake Paul in their huge clash next month and has voiced his disgust that the ageing heavyweight star is stepping back into the ring.
Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Tyson was due to face social media sensation turned-boxer Paul back in July but the bout had to be postponed after the 58-year-old suffered an ulcer flare onboard a plane. The rearranged fight now headlines a stacked bill of action at the AT&T Stadium in Texas, USA on November 15, which is supported by the highly anticipated rematch between Ireland’s undisputed super-lightweight boxing star Katie Taylor and unified world champion Amanda Serrano.
Tyson hung up his gloves following back-to-back knockouts against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride in the early noughties but made his ring return in an exhibition contest against former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr in November 2020. But Matchroom chief Hearn, who promotes Taylor, is adamant he will leave the venue before “Iron Mike”‘s fight with Paul – who has won 10 of his 10 bouts – gets underway.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I think it’s a huge shame that one of the biggest legends of the sport comes back 20 years after everybody knew he shouldn’t be boxing anymore. At 55 or however old he is.
“He’s 58? Jesus Christ, he’s nearly 60. Like, you have no respect for the sport of boxing if you put Mike Tyson in a ring at 58 years of age. And if he gets hurt, then it’s on those people… I’ll watch Katie Taylor and then I’ll leave. I can’t watch that.”
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