Mike Tyson, the one-time "Baddest Man on the Planet", was throwing no punches on Wednesday in reply to criticism of his fight with YouTuber-turned boxer Jake Paul in Texas next month.Now 58, the former heavyweight world champion will step into the ring in Arlington on Nov.
15 against a man 31 years his younger but with only 10 professional fights to his name.British promoter Eddie Hearn this month dismissed the bout at the 80,000 seat AT&T Stadium as "dangerous, irresponsible and disrespectful to boxing" and said he would not be watching."I'm in awe of him.
He's one of my favourite ever fighters, one of the greatest of all time, but he's a 58-year-old man," Hearn told the BBC. "You only need to speak to him and look at him to know this guy should not be in a ring again." "Everybody loves a dollar bill, including me, but sometimes the green-eyed monster can make you take some bad decisions and I think this is one of them."Tyson, who in 1997 was stripped of his licence after infamously sinking his teeth into Evander Holyfield's ear, refused to bite."Well, that's Eddie's opinion, and that's all I can say," he told reporters in a video call from Las Vegas.As for the fight, he had no doubt who would win."I'm doing well.
I'm just looking forward to the fight. Really looking forward to it. When you think about it, regardless of me being how old I am, this guy only has 10 fights," Tyson said."If I see this fight 10 per cent of what I was, he only has 10 fights.