Roy Jones Jr., the last man to share a ring with Mike Tyson, believes Jake Paul is in trouble on July 20 in Texas.
“RJJ” spoke to Shane Mosley on his podcast about the forthcoming summer fight, slated to occur at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, and live on Netflix. Jones says that even when he battled Tyson, in an exhibition at 54, “The Baddest Man on the Planet,” he could still turn the lights out of most boxers.
Jones believes only the toughest heavyweights in the world could handle what ‘Iron’ Mike dishes out during fights.
The former pound-for-pound king told Mosley: “Mike Tyson is still the strongest puncher that I’ve ever been in the ring with. At fifty-five, at that time, I might be fifty-seven now or fifty-eight. He’s still the strongest puncher I’ve ever been in the ring with. The first time he hit me in the chest, it felt like a mule had kicked me in the chest. And if he hits anybody with a shot like that, they are either going out or down, especially guys who are not used to being hit like that. You know what I’m saying?
“With these types of people like Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, these guys are bigger and can take it, but Jake Paul, I don’t think he’s going to be able to take that. It might hit him on the chin like that, we’ll see, but it’s going to be tough [for him].”
Despite the warning from Jones, Paul remains the favorite to win the contest, which the Texas Department of License and Regulation is yet to confirm as an exhibition or professional bout officially. The YouTuber is active as a boxer despite doubts over his ability. Tyson has yet to fully convince everyone that his short video clips of explosiveness are sustainable over a longer period – as will be needed against a 27-year-old.
The Mike Tyson of old would have wiped Paul out within seconds. But after twenty years out of action and father time cannot be denied, making a case for a 58-year-old to defeat someone 31 years his junior is a sizeable task.
Tyson will be in the fight for as long as his body holds up – that’s the reality of the situation. Many see it as Paul attempting to take advantage of Tyson due to his name, but others see it as a fifty-fifty fight.
The aging process usually remains undefeated in this situation, though, as Tyson’s old foe Evander Holyfield found out to his detriment in 2021.
Holyfield failed to last a round at 58 when facing 44-year-old Vitor Belfort on Triller.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
