Ricky Hatton has shared his thoughts on the impending heavyweight fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul – which is due to take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, overnight.
The bout, which was re-scheduled after Tyson suffered an inflamed ulcer on a plane, has got the whole boxing world talking. The ever-popular Mancunian has also voiced his opinion on the spectacle – and he reckons the 58-year-old can still knock the younger Paul out.
Tyson hasn’t fought professionally since losing to Kevin McBride in June 2005, returning for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr in 2020. Paul, however, beat former MMA fighter Mike Perry by knockout in July.
“I fought Marco Antonio Barrera for eight, two-minute rounds but mine was an exhibition but I believe this is a proper fight. I think if Mike hits him, he’ll knock him into the middle of next week,” Hatton told Action Network.
“He looks very fast and very explosive. He looks fantastic for his age. But if you’re in Jake Paul’s corner you would think; ‘He’s 58-years-old and I’m just going to give him the first two rounds, jab and move, keep out of range and hopefully he will gas’.
“You’d expect him to at his age. Mike will probably put all of his eggs in one basket – and start early because of his age and if I was Jake, I would stay out of his jab, wait for him to slow down a bit and put my foot down on the gas. I can see Mike by knockout if he is to win or if Jake is going to win then he will win on points.”
Despite being able to see a knockout from Tyson, Hatton has expressed his disapproval of the fight going ahead. He believes that something should be done in order to stop these type of attraction fights.
“Mike Tyson is one of my heroes and is one who is everyone’s hero and I have no doubt that he’s also one of Jake Paul’s heroes,” Hatton added. “So why you would want to fight one of your heroes who is nearly 60-years-old?
“Potentially hurting one of your heroes is madness.
“Mike looks great on the pads, really explosive and I hope I’m like him at 60, but that’s only 10 seconds bursts. Can he maintain it for a number of rounds? I’m all up for the exhibitions. MMA fighters can fight, YouTubers can fight someone else and I get that world exists, but I think something should be put in place to stop something like this happening.
“Mike is our hero and is 58-years-old. He has every chance of flattening Jake Paul but, at 58, is he in condition to come back from what’s going to come at him by Jake Paul? I can’t say I’m a fan of this.”
Paul is widely-known for getting people to talk ahead of his fights, whether using his social media platforms or trash talking during press conferences. Tyson responded during the weigh-in with a swift slap as tensions flared.
Hatton has voiced his dislike of Paul’s tactics to get under the skin of Tyson, but accepted that it is just ‘he world we live in now’.
Speaking on the trash talk, he added: “I’ve only seen it from a distance, but I think Jake Paul is a bit of a d*** to be honest with you. I get that’s the world we live in now with the youngsters on social media and the YouTubers, it’s what they love with a bit of controversy.
“It’s just from an era that I didn’t come from. I had a massive following and I didn’t slag anyone off or call anyone names or threaten anyone. I find some of the stuff, and not just from Jake, but other people in this era, I just think what’s the game come to?
“You’re talking about someone who is 58 and you’re saying; ‘I’m going to put him into retirement’. I wouldn’t want to fight anyone at 58-years-old. Nothing seems to surprise me anymore and I don’t get wound up from it, and too involved in it, I just accept it for what it is these days.”
