Dana White knows a lot about fights, but when it comes to Tyson’s big match with YouTuber Jake Paul on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Texas, he’s just hoping Tyson stays safe and everything goes well.
Dana White talked to Jim Rome on his radio show and said he’s worried about 58-year-old Tyson fighting someone 27 years younger.
“I will not say anything bad about this fight because I love Mike Tyson,” White said. “The only thing that I hope is that Mike comes out of this fight healthy… I just hope he does. At 58 years old, I mean, I’m 55, and obviously, I’ve never been the level of athlete that Mike Tyson is, but 27 vs. 58? It’s hard to consistently work out at that age just for health purposes and not get hurt. To train for something like this? It’s just – I love Mike. I hope he makes a bunch of money on Friday, and I hope he comes out healthy.”
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Mike Tyson has won 50 fights and lost 6, while Jake Paul has won 10 and lost 1. But, like Dana White said, Tyson has been boxing for much longer than Paul. Some people like to say Jake Paul only gets easy fights, but he’s still a strong boxer with knockout power.
Tyson was super scary in the 80s and 90s, knocking out everyone in his path. But his last big fight was in 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride. Tyson also fought Roy Jones Jr. a few years ago in a match where no one could punch too hard to the head, and it ended in a draw.
Even though it’s a tough fight for Tyson, Dana White gets why Tyson would want to face Jake Paul. Tyson’s been through so much in his life, and this fight might be something he feels he has to do.
“When you’ve accomplished what Mike Tyson has accomplished, and that type of money is offered to you, it’s hard to not,” White said. “It’s about Mike having money issues or anything like that. Mike does fine. Mike does well, but when you have that type of money waved in front of you – I’ve told this story, it’s been told a million times. When Mike was going to fight before, I said, ‘Mike, don’t do this.’ So, I put him on Shark Week. I get a deal done for him to do Shark Week. He’s like, ‘Oh, you care about me? I’ve been fighting since I was 12, but you want to throw me in the water with sharks? You’re an idiot.’ And I can’t disagree with him. He’s absolutely right.
“At the end of the day, it’s none of our business; it’s Mike Tyson’s business. He’s a grown man; he does what he wants to do, and I love him, and I just want the best for him.”
Dana White’s concerns about Tyson’s health are valid, given his age and long break from fighting. Jake Paul has the advantage of youth and training, while Tyson brings decades of experience and knockout power. If Tyson stays in shape and avoids Paul’s strikes, he could win. But if Paul lands clean, he could take the fight. It’s a tough call.
