Mike Tyson returns to the ring this weekend to face Jake Paul.
Despite the undoubtedly high viewing figures it will produce, a large portion of the sport feel the event is ill-advised and dangerous due to the 30-year age gap.
Speaking to Prime Casino, former unified world champion Amir Khan said he will feel personally offended if his friend and boxing legend Tyson is beaten.
“You know what, the thing is there is a lot of weight advantage and to be honest with you, Mike is a friend of mine and I FaceTime him and we speak, but when you’ve got a 65-year-old man fighting a young, at-his-peak fighter you do feel sorry — but you can’t feel too sorry for Mike Tyson because he’s taken that chance.
It’s a tough one that is but I wouldn’t want to jump in the ring. At the end of the day it’s Mike’s decision to go in the ring and fight. If he gets beat you want to protect your friend and jump in and say I’ll give a beating for him, so if he beats Mike Tyson yeah definitely I’d like to give him a little slap and sort him out.”
Khan said he had heard that the fight contract may include a clause for more money the longer it goes, something he feels adds danger.
“Look, both fighters can bang. We know that. God forbid Mike gets hit with a massive shot and knows he’s hurt, or he gets cut, or Jake gets cut, he’s going to survive in there. He’s going to think f**k that, I’m going to survive in here and make another million. To make a million outside the ring is very hard so fuck it, I’ll stay another three minutes in the ring, take a couple more punches, I’ll be alright. It’s worth it.
My message to Mike Tyson is we all love Mike Tyson. He’s a friend of mine as well. He is always going to be remembered as a great. We all think that Mike is going to go into the ring and go for the knockout, and he might get the knockout as well, but he has to be smart in there and focused, because we want to see Mike go in there, tear him apart, and walk out in one piece.”
Asked if he is concerned, the Brit said yes.
“I am concerned. Yeah, 100%. Every fight you go into, especially at the age he’s at — is he going to take it seriously? I think so, but how seriously is he going to take it? Everyone remembers Mike Tyson, that tough tough fighter, that great world champion, that animal of a fighter, but I don’t want a fight like this to tarnish his record because a lot of people are going to think he’s a joke. We don’t really want it to get to that where fighters who have been world champions, and been up there as one of the best out there, now being beaten by YouTubers? It’s not a good look for boxing.”
Paul-Tyson takes place on November 15 and features the highly-anticipated rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano as chief support.
