A former boxing champion has raised concerns about Mike Tyson’s health ahead of his fight with Jake Paul, saying ‘Iron’ Mike looks “pregnant” in person.
When Jake Paul and Mike Tyson first announced that they’d be fighting, plenty of critics pointed to the massive age gap between the two fighters. Being 58 years old, Tyson’s participation was also flagged as a potential health issue.
Even though they were scheduled to fight in July, ‘Iron’ Mike had to pull out after suffering an ulcer flare-up. The fight has since been rearranged for mid-November, but worries linger about his health. He’ll have to undergo rigorous medical testing pre-fight due to concerns from Netflix and other promoters.
They’re not the only ones who are worried, though. Erich ‘Butterbean’ Esch, the former world super heavyweight champion, also has a few concerns.
“I saw Mike about three weeks ago, and he looked pregnant,” Esch told AL.com. “I would knock him out. He has no chin. The problem with those who have lost to Tyson is they didn’t challenge him.”
Jake Paul will face off against boxing legend Mike Tyson live on Netflix in November.
The former world super heavyweight champion also called Tyson a “bully” for how he’d fight on the front foot.
“His chin would be right there for the taking. I would knock Mike Tyson out,” Butterbean concluded, once again suggesting that he would take a fight against the 58-year-old.
In the build-up to Paul vs Tyson, the 57-year-old has also called Jake out for a fight. He offered the ‘Problem Child’ a $2 million winner-takes-all bout if Tyson pulled out, but also called their fight a “scam.”
Despite the concerns for ‘Iron’ Mike’s health, Jake hasn’t drafted in a backup option for the fight. He’s fully focused on the boxing legend before an apparent switch to MMA next year.