Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight could end in ‘boxing ban’ claims ex-world champion
Former IBF super-lightweight world champion Paulie Malignaggi is not a fan of Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul.
Concerns have been raised about Tyson’s health as he gears up to face a man 31 years his junior in a professional heavyweight clash on November 15.
Tyson is 58 years old and hasn’t fought in the paid ranks since retiring on his stool against Kevin McBride in 2005.
Meanwhile, Paul is in his athletic prime at 27 and has been actively competing in professional boxing for the last four years.
Tyson has already had to pull out of their initially planned July 20 fight date after suffering an ulcer flare-up and recently admitted he was ‘struggling to walk’ following a six-round sparring session.
Malignaggi is fearing the worst ahead of fight night and insists if anything goes wrong in the ring then it could lead to a ‘boxing ban’.
He told Canada Casino: “Head blows from young, strong guys at Mike’s age aren’t good. When you’re younger, you can handle hits better.
“When you’re older, your body isn’t made for that kind of damage anymore. Things could go badly wrong.
“If something like that happened, people would be calling for the sport to be banned.
“Personally, I don’t think his fight with Jake Paul should happen.
“He’ll be 58 years old by then. 58 is still 58.
“We live in a generation that doesn’t understand ageing is a real thing.
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“You can show highlights of Mike from the 80s, but the guy stepping into the ring won’t be that same Mike Tyson.”
Tyson still carries power in bursts but whether he can put together a long enough onslaught to cause a dent in Paul is unclear.
All of Tyson’s pad work videos are five-second clips grouped together and as he nears his sixties, Malignaggi doesn’t give him much chance of victory against his far younger foe.
He added: “Jake Paul might not be world class, but he’s certainly not a novice. He’s been boxing for about five years.
“After four years of boxing, I won the US National Championships, so Jake’s far from a beginner.
“He’s strong and young. Hitting someone Tyson’s age has serious risks. Tyson wasn’t taking punches well at 36, let alone now.
“If you hit a guy who’s that old, it affects them. Imagine what getting hit by a strong guy like Jake would do to him. I wouldn’t want to find out.”
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