Jake Paul has slammed Oscar De La Hoya’s criticism of his fight with Mike Tyson.

Paul faces Tyson on July 20 in a fight that will see Netflix air boxing for the first time. The bout has received a mixed reaction, with De La Hoya being one of the primary critics. The Golden Boy promoter questioned how the fight would aid Paul’s desire to be a world champion.

This is mainly because Paul is coming off the best wins of his career. He stopped Andre August and Ryan Bourland in his last two fights in first-round KOs. The wins were particularly impressive since they were victories against professional boxers.

But facing Tyson makes no sense from a legacy point of view. Mike is 57, and so a win may be expected due to the huge age difference. Paul, by contrast, is 27. Paul also risks harming his career if he comes out second best. A knockout damages his brand and rules out a dream fight with Canelo Alvarez, which he has been targeting. De La Hoya did not hold back on his words.

De La Hoya On Paul

“Jake Paul, you say you want to be a world champion, you say you want to take this sport seriously – then take it seriously. What is this? This is not a popularity contest. I’m actually praising Jake Paul for taking this [sport] seriously, because I really feel that if he fights the right fights and takes the right path to that world title, he can actually get there. I’m not sure if he can win it, but he can get there.

“But he’s not going to get there through Mike Tyson. He’s going to make a s*** load of money. He’s going to gain more popularity on Mike Tyson’s expense. Do I like it? No, because I love Mike Tyson. This is entertainment. This is a fight that is going to do great business all over the world. More power to them, but the last time I heard, Jake Paul is serious about this sport. All I’m saying is make your money but take this sport serious De La Hoya stated

Paul Responds

Paul has fired back, telling De La Hoya to focus on his stable. The Problem Child singled out Ryan Garcia’s well-being. There are concerns that Garcia will not be well enough to fight on April 20 against Devin Haney. The boxer has raised concerns over his mental health following his social media activity.

He was seen breaking down on X over the Israel-Palestine war. Garcia has also lashed out at various people on social media, including Logan Paul and KSI, over their PRIME drink. He accused the brand of allegedly being unsafe. The latest incident saw Garcia threatening to sue the New York State Athletic Commission after they requested a mental health evaluation. Paul has told La Hoya to keep his eyes on Garcia instead.

“Oscar De La Hoya has a lot to say about me and Mike Tyson. I hope he’s concerned with Ryan Garcia’s health and his legacy,” Paul stated