Eddie Hearn admits he may not even watch Mike Tyson’s fight with Jake Paul in a brutally honest interview about the controversial bout.
Tyson, 57, will return to the ring to face Paul, 27, on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a fight which has divided opinion among boxing fans.
While some are delighted to see Tyson make his return to professional boxing, others have questioned the safety of the fight, given the huge age gap between the two men involved.
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Tyson has not fought since drawing with Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match in 2020, while his last professional bout came back in 2005 against Kevin McBridge, when he was beaten inside two rounds.
Several high-profile names from the world of boxing have voiced concerns for the former heavyweight champion’s well-being. Meanwhile, a senior lecturer in medicine at Anglia Ruskin University has even warned that the fight could see Tyson suffer fatal injuries.
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British boxing legend Ricky Hatton is among those to question the fight, claiming great champions would be “turning in their grave”.
Matchrooom promoter Eddie Hearn has previously questioned the fight and doubled down on his comments in a new interview with The Stomping Ground, admitting he may not even watch it when it airs on Netflix.
“It’s difficult, you know my opinion because I’ve given interviews on it before,” he said.
“But if you say anything negative, you’re a hater. I get the event. I know what people want to see. They want to see freak shows. And that’s what it is.
Eddie Hearn has questioned Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson (Image: Getty)
“It’ll do really well. People will tune in. But it’s not for everyone. If you grew up watching Mike Tyson and he’s one of your greatest fighters of all-time, the last thing you want to do is see him get back in the ring at 58-years-old and lose to Jake Paul.
“The general consensus from the casual audience is ‘oh that’s a bit of a freak show, I’ll watch that’. Who knows what’s going to be on the card, maybe it’s a great night of boxing, we’ll see.
When asked if he’ll watch the fight, Hearn claimed he would have to see the quality of the undercard before making a final decision.
“We’ll see. We’ll see what’s on the undercard. I don’t know,” he said.
