Mike Tyson will take on social media star Jake Paul in a controversial heavyweight fight this summer which has been sanctioned as a professional bout

Deontay Wilder fears Jake Paul could leave Mike Tyson in a coma after their controversial fight this summer.

Heavyweight legend Tyson will return to the ring at the age of 58 to take on social media star Paul in Texas in July. The fight has been sanctioned as a professional bout with the rivals taking each other on over eight two-minute rounds. But fears have been raised about Tyson’s health with doctors warning he faces suffering brain damage.

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And former heavyweight world champion Wilder also fears Tyson could be endangering his health. “I think it’s bad the commission has licensed Mike Tyson because he hasn’t been active in 20 years, so they should not just licence him because of who he is, that’s how people get hurt, god forbid he gets hurt,” he told Sportsbook Review.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to lock horns in a huge bout on May 18 with each fighter attempting to etch their name in boxing history as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the pair will go head to head for the prestigious WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF titles.

“People can get hit in the wrong place and at the wrong time, there’s lots of examples where guys have been hit into a coma. It’s easy to do. He’s too old for this. At the end of the day, no one gives a f*** about Mike. We can talk about the pros and cons, but at the end of the day, they don’t give a f***. I don’t think anyone cares about Mike because if they did they wouldn’t sanction the fight.

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“They may say they’ve done tests and all that, ok, but as long as you’re willing to suffer the consequences if something bad goes wrong. His power may not have left completely but you still need to set it up, your stamina needs to be a certain way, or it’s going to look like a clown show.

“I don’t want to see it to be honest. I don’t want to see one of my legends fight a YouTuber. If he goes in there and he knocks Mike out, that’s going to tarnish the reputation of Mike. I don’t want the last thing I remember of him is him getting knocked out by a YouTuber. The last thing you do, that’s what people remember you by.”

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Meanwhile, Wilder admitted he has difficulty splitting Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk who meet next weekend for the undisputed heavyweight crown. “I really don’t know, I’m on the fence. I honestly do not know because although Usyk is smaller, he will manoeuvre around. Usyk still has the power and speed to do certain things,” he said. “You can’t count Usyk out just because Fury’s so tall. I hope they handle business, put in a great show and leave the ring with good health. I have no dog in the fight.

Mike Tyson hasn’t fought professionally since losing to Kevin McBride 19 years ago but will make his comeback against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in July aged 58

Boxing will be “seen as a circus” if Mike Tyson’s fight with Jake Paul remains a professional bout, one of the UK’s top promoters has warned.

Ex-heavyweight champion Tyson, 57, is set to make his return to professional boxing in July after a 19-year hiatus to take on YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul in Texas. Paul is 30 years younger than Tyson, who will be 58 by the time the controversial fight takes place.

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There are huge concerns about Tyson’s health heading into the fight. The veteran has been seen using a wheelchair and walking cane in recent years, while his training videos have asked rather than answered questions about his fitness.

Tyson’s fight with Paul was initially expected to be an exhibition due to the former’s age. But last week, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) sanctioned it as professional. Speaking to Mirror Sport in New York before that decision was made, Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom was asked whether he would promote such a fight.

“As long as it’s clear that it’s not real boxing, I think definitely,” Shalom replied. “It’s a spectacle, it’s a form of entertainment.”

The promoter added: “There’s no way you can justify a 57-year-old fighting in a professional fight. For me, that’s where things need to be clear, and then the sport doesn’t suffer. I think it does suffer if boxing is seen as a circus. But as a form of entertainment, people can do what they want.”

Paul has faced criticism during his boxing career. The YouTuber turned professional in 2020 but has since fought mostly little-known boxers or MMA fighters. He boasts a 9-1 record, with his only loss coming against former Love Island star Tommy Fury.

Shalom believes anyone can transition into professional boxing if they’re good enough, but he’s struggling to justify Tyson’s comeback fight. “Viddal Riley is a big YouTuber and a fantastic professional boxer who we have (at Boxxer).

“Professional boxing is professional, so there’s a certain standard required. I think anyone can do that, and it doesn’t matter what their background is.

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“But a 57-year-old in a ring can’t be classed as professional boxing – as much as it’s a fantastic event. I think as long as it’s advertised as such… My biggest problem with the whole YouTuber boxing was it perhaps not being clear that this is a celebrity fight. Celebrities fighting is very, very different to professional athletes.”

The controversial fight between Tyson and Paul will be streamed live on Netflix, as the service tries to break into live sport. ” Mike Tyson wanted it to be a pro fight,” Paul wrote on X after the bout was sanctioned as professional. “Netflix wanted it to be a pro fight. So I agreed to make it a pro fight. Winner takes all.”

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Tyson added on X: “Yes, it’s a real sanctioned fight with Jake Paul.”