Highlights
- The Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson was recently rearranged for November.
- A former opponent of Tyson's, Lennox Lewis, said it isn't a serious fight – but, rather, an exhibition.
- Regardless, he still tips Tyson to win … possibly by knockout.
Originally scheduled for July 20, the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight was postponed after the 58-year-old suffered an ulcer issue. Fight fans, and fighters themselves, remain intrigued by the match-up. Paul is scheduled to fight former UFC fighter turned bar-knuckle boxer, Mike Perry, next week in a much less publicized event, but the combat sports community can’t help but look ahead to the November match between the YouTuber and the former heavyweight champion.
When sitting down with FOX 29: Philadelphia, the former undisputed world champion and an old foe of Tyson, Lennox Lewis, gave a much more detailed answer than the first time we heard the Brit comment on the fight. Tyson-Paul has the potential to be fight of the year in terms of viewership numbers because of the 270 million Netflix subscribers and because of the generations of boxing fans that will tune in. Lewis understands the nature and the business of these fights.
Tyson vs Paul Isn't Serious, Lennox Lewis Says
He added that he hopes both fighters 'make a good bag'
Lewis said:
“I call them exhibitions, I call them YouTube fights. It can’t be serious fights, it’s just an event to me,” said the former champ. Lewis was asked if watches these types of fights: “Of course, you never know what’s going to pop up. I’m happy for them, they’re going to make a good bag, and hopefully they make it exciting. A lot of kids love Jake Paul, a lot of kids love Tyson, they want to see what’s going to happen in the ring to both of them – Me too.”
Many believe that “Iron Mike” has been able to rekindle his old form with the release of some padwork footage. Lewis was asked if he believes Tyson’s skillset is still wired into his system, even though the knockout artist has been dormant from competition for the better part of 25-years. The former HBO Boxing analyst didn’t pull any punches when answering:
“No. You got to look at the age. You can probably fight somebody like that and do well cause they’re not a true fighter and there’s a 100 things you’ve forgotten that he’s learning. … [Age] will be a determining factor if the fight goes on too long. As far as if Mike comes with a 10-second combination, if one of those punches catches him, he’s definitely going to go down.”
The Canadian Olympic gold medalist also did not beat around the bush when giving his prediction:
“Mike Tyson is going to win. Mike Tyson is not that old. Don’t take him too softly,” said Lewis, who was also asked point blank if he would fight the winner, saying: “That’s a good question. I’m not ready to answer that yet (while grinning), but I hope Tyson saves a little bit of Jake Paul for me.”
Would fights fans watch their favorite athletes of yesteryear compete again?
On a recent Joe Rogan Experience podcast, former unified UFC and PRIDE FC champion, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson revealed new details about boxing’s newest hero Turki Alalshikh, bringing a handful of combat sports legends into a room and talking about a potential ‘Legends League’, where elite fighters of the past would fight peers of the same age group. Jackson said that he volunteered to fight Lennox Lewis, but isn’t sold that the boxing great is still down to fight.
Of course, Jackson has been heavily connected to a fight with former WBO heavyweight boxing champion, Shannon Briggs, but the fight still hasn’t left the runway. As seen with the hype for Tyson vs. Paul, it’s a pretty certain proclamation that if His Excellency were to produce a Legends League, fans would tune in.
