Eddie Hearn worried Jake Paul's fight with Mike Tyson will end in 'travesty for boxing'
06/09/2024 12:35
Eddie Hearn believes any true boxing fan will see Jake Paul's fight with Mike Tyson as a potential travesty.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion will end his 19-year retirement to face Paul in a professional boxing bout at AT&T Stadium in Texas on November 15.
Tyson's comeback at 58 years old has caused concern among fans.
Especially because he'll be going up against a man 31 years his junior and initially had to postpone their fight after suffering a mid-air medical issue.
Hearn insists that no one in the sport wants to see Paul vs Tyson take place.
However, the boxing promoter understands the fight from a business perspective.
"I don't think there's one boxing person that really wants this fight to happen," Hearn told SunSport.
"So, they're looking at it from a different angle, they're looking at it from numbers, they're looking to it for hype and I get it. I understand that this freak show may well do good numbers.
"But I think if you genuinely care about the sport and the history of the sport and particularly the legacy of one of the greatest fighters of all time, it's not something you'd ever consider.
"I understand their strategy and the business and if it does numbers, they don't really care how it looks in terms of the empathy of it.
"I don't think it's ever something you'd see a real boxing person get involved with."
The last few years have seen a massive surge in influencer boxing fights matching internet celebrities like Paul with real boxers and MMA stars.
Hearn is struggling to get to grips with the new era and is just hoping that Tyson escapes his comeback fight unharmed.
He added: "It's just a different world, isn't it? This new generation.
"But good luck to him, I'm sure it will do good numbers and hopefully Mike Tyson doesn't get hurt because it would be a travesty for boxing."
Hearn is not the only high-profile figure concerned about 'Iron Mike'.
WWE legend Hulk Hogan originally predicted that Paul vs Tyson would be the 'Fight of the Century', but he changed his mind after recently watching the 27-year-old spar.
The 71-year-old – real name Terry Bollea – is now worried for Tyson's life.
"Your brother is too strong," Hogan said on Logan Paul's podcast.
"Last night, as soon as I saw him set the guy up with the left and keep going over with the overhand right, I was like, 'Oh my God!' I mean, really, really scary.
"I love Mike to death. I don’t want him to kill Mike, Jesus.”
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