Conor McGregor says he ‘doesn’t understand’ the upcoming fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, claiming the match up is a ‘bit strange’
In a shock announcement last week, it was confirmed that heavyweight legend Tyson, 57, and YouTuber Paul, 27, would do battle at Texas’ 80,000-seater AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, on July 20.
Considering the 30-year age gap between the two fighters, there are obvious safety concerns ahead of the clash and many boxing fans have expressed their fears for Tyson’s health – with Iron Mike hanging up his gloves way back in 2005.
However, Tyson previously came out of retirement to fight Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match – billed as ‘Lockdown Knockdown’ – in November 2020 and the former undisputed world champion is determined to prove his doubters wrong again.
Following Thursday’s announcement, Paul’s long-time rival KSI, said the forthcoming bout was ‘sad to see’ and a fight that nobody asked for or wants, while Tommy Fury urged his fellow fighters to leave ‘legends of the sport’ in the annals of history.
Meanwhile, UFC superstar McGregor has questioned the appeal of the fight, but sent his best wishes to Tyson ahead of the spectacle which will be streamed live on Netflix.
‘Oh jeez, it’s a bit strange, you know,’ McGregor told The Illuminerdi YouTube channel.
‘The interest is low… I don’t know. I don’t understand it. I wish well for Mike [Tyson].’
Speaking to iFL TV, a saddened Eddie Hearn claimed it ‘breaks his heart’ to see ‘one of the greatest fighters that ever lived’ return to compete against a YouTuber-turned-boxer.
‘I guess if you criticise it you’re a hater, aren’t you? So I’m probably not the best person to ask because I love the sport of boxing,’ the promoter said.
‘So I find it incredibly sad, but it’s a big event, you can’t deny that.
‘But is he 60 yet, Mike Tyson? 58? Something like that? One of the greatest fighters that ever lived.
‘But I’m one of a small per cent of absolute mad boxing lovers that it actually breaks my heart to see that.
‘But it is a big event on a new platform, big stadium, and there will be a lot of people watching it.
‘Obviously a very powerful platform, I’m sure it will be a huge event. Great platform, to see them doing live sport – like Amazon – it’s fantastic. The more platforms the better.’
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