Legendary heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson has thrown his support behind Jake Paul, the controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer, News About Nigeria reports.
Tyson asserted that Paul will “save” the sport of boxing by emerging victorious in his much talked about sparing with Nate Diaz this weekend.
Despite facing criticism from traditionalists about his crossover into professional boxing, Paul has proven himself against former combat sports professionals, securing victories over Anderson Silva, Ben Askren, and Tyron Woodley.
His only loss came against Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia earlier in 2023. Next up, Paul is set to take on Nate Diaz, a seasoned UFC veteran, in his first boxing match.
Tyson has expressed strong opinions about the upcoming bout, praising Paul’s potential impact on boxing.
“He’s going to save boxing – as long as he continues to fight,” said the 57-year-old. “He got the light, you know what I mean? He’s touched. He’s got the light.”
Paul himself has been vocal about the upcoming showdown with Diaz, acknowledging the challenge of facing a respected figure in the combat sports world.
Diaz, however, has chosen to keep a low profile in the build-up to the fight, avoiding the usual media circus surrounding high-profile bouts.
The lack of promotion from Diaz has seemingly frustrated Paul, who feels he is doing the majority of the pre-fight promotion.
He even referred to Diaz as a “b*h” and boldly claimed that he would put an end to Diaz’s career on Saturday when they meet in the ring. “Saturday is his last day of being a fighter. I’m knocking him the fk out, putting him to sleep,” Paul declared.
In response to Diaz’s approach, Paul emphasized his professionalism and claimed that he operates at the highest level, contrasting himself with his opponent. He believes Diaz needs him to make these fights happen.
