Jake Paul has received a stark warning that the additional padding in the gloves for his upcoming bout with Mike Tyson won’t be to his advantage.
The much-anticipated fight next month will feature Paul and Tyson in a professional face-off, set over eight two-minute rounds rather than the usual three-minute ones. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has given the green light for the sanctioned event, where both fighters will don 14-ounce gloves, which are heavier than the standard.
Scheduled for November 15 in Arlington, Texas, Paul enters the ring on the back of a victory against ex-UFC combatant, Mike Perry. Since his 2020 boxing debut, he’s notched wins against notable opponents such as Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz. Tyson, now 58, hasn’t engaged in a professional fight since his defeat by Kevin McBride in 2005, although he did return for an exhibition match with Roy Jones Jr four years ago.
Hall of Fame referee Richard Steele has offered his insights on the upcoming clash, predicting it won’t last the full distance. With the fight just over a fortnight away, Steele has delivered a grave caution to ‘The Problem Child’, reports the Mirror.
Speaking to USA Today, the 80-year-old expressed his view that the extra glove padding will do little to help the younger American, remarking: “That’s still a small glove thinking about the power of Mike Tyson With Mike Tyson, it’s so dangerous even for the referee because you got to be close, but you got to be far away to be able to allow them to do their thing.
“You had to be always aware of what’s going on because one of Mike Tyson’s punches could really hurt the other guy. And maybe he don’t need to take the other punch.”
Despite concerns about Tyson’s well-being, Steele is confident that the ex-heavyweight world champ still has what it takes to win. “He’s still dangerous. He has so much power… I just hope he don’t end up getting hurt or hurt the other guy.”
Some sceptics think ‘Iron Mike’ isn’t taking his upcoming fight seriously, especially after a surprising confession. In a conversation with Jimmy Kimmel, the 58-year-old boxer revealed his intense training schedule.
“I am training extremely hard, I do six hours a day. I start at 11am and might leave the gym at 5pm,” Tyson shared. Kimmel, taken aback, asked: “Oh no. 11am? So that’s six hours straight, or is there a lunch break? ” Tyson conceded there was a brief intermission, leaving Kimmel astonished as he exclaimed: “Oh no.”