Oscar De La Hoya has a bold view on Jake Paul.
Paul takes on boxing legend Mike Tyson over eight two-minute rounds this Friday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and it will be broadcast live on Netflix.
It is the culmination in a remarkable rise for the 27-year-old, who only made his professional debut four years ago and has been involved in some huge fights since that point.
This week’s showdown with Tyson is the biggest of them all though, and it has got the boxing world talking, with De La Hoya one of those who has had his say.
His assessment of Paul goes back a long way, having first shared his thoughts on the Youtuber-turned-boxer nearly three years ago.
De La Hoya needed just four words to sum up Paul’s boxing ability whilst speaking with TMZ Sports, and even back then he was full of praise for Tyson’s next opponent.
“He’s the real deal.”
De La Hoya then explained what he saw in ‘The Problem Child’, with some of it coming to fruition.
“With only four or five fights, and the way he’s taking it serious. Jake Paul is the real deal and I dare anyone who has boxing experience or MMA experience to call him out.
“I’ll tell you one thing, this guy can beat a lot of good champions, and even maybe great champions. This is not a one-off, two-off or three-off, he wants to become a world champion. You have to fight the very best and he’s doing it right. He’s doing the right thing.”
On the fight itself, De La Hoya told Fight Hub TV that he is excited for the contest but is worried for Tyson if he can’t get Paul out early.
“I’m actually looking forward to it. Jake Paul, he’s moving up, he’s becoming a better fighter, this fight here, the fact he’s focused and determined and he’s going up against the great Mike Tyson. It takes him to another level.
Tyson is still Tyson right, that never changes, he still has the power, the power never leaves you, your reflexes leave you, your speed a little, your conditioning.
If it’s before three, four rounds, I have to go with Tyson by knockout, that one punch knockout, if it goes past four rounds, I have to worry about Tyson’s conditioning, and where Jake Paul’s youth can take over. I’ve seen Jake Paul’s videos, he looks big, he looks huge. So whatever spray he’s taking, it’s working.”
Whether Paul does manage to become a world champion remains to be seen, but his next fight after Tyson may have already been revealed.
