Oscar De La Hoya admits he ‘prays’ for Mike Tyson ahead of his ‘dangerous’ fight against Jake Paul as the 57-year-old prepares to return to the ring in July
- Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, 27, to fight in professional sanctioned bout
- Oscar De La Hoya insisted a loss to Paul would not affect Tyson’s legacy
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As the fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson approaches, Oscar De La Hoya has expressed his concern for his fellow boxing legend.
The sanctioned professional fight features a glaring age difference between Paul, 27, and Tyson, who will be 58 on fight night. Still, many fans believe that Tyson’s knockout power and killer instinct from his prime will transcend youth and carry him to victory.
However, De La Hoya is on the other side of the fence. In an interview with TMZ Sports, The Golden Boy warned Iron Mike to “be careful.”
“I’m going to pray for Mike Tyson, because I love Mike Tyson,” De La Hoya said. “I think Jake Paul, listen, he’s a real fighter. He really is. It’s a dangerous fight. Mike Tyson, please be careful.
The fight will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 20. Additionally, this will be the first event streamed live on Netflix.
Oscar De La Hoya admitted he was ‘praying’ for Mike Tyson before his fight with Jake Paul
The fight, scheduled for July 20, features a glaring 30-year age gap between the two big hitters.
Tyson retired from professional boxing in 2005 and fought in an exhibition bout in 2020.
Jake Paul, 9-1, has earned a reputation for fighting athletes far from their prime
Paul gained a reputation for fighting athletes far removed from their prime. Wins over Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz and Anderson Silva bolstered his record to 9-1.
The YouTuber turned boxer is coming off back-to-back wins over Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
On the other hand, Iron Mike hasn’t seen the ring since his exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020 – a fight that saw Paul knock out former NBA star Nate Robinson on the undercard.
Tyson held a professional record of 50-6, with 44 knockouts, before retiring in 2005.
When asked if a loss to Paul would be detrimental to Tyson’s legacy, De La Hoya insisted: “No, Mike Tyson is a legacy cemented forever.” Mike Tyson will be the man forever.
