Jake Paul’s manager left furious with Eddie Hearn comments ahead of Mike Tyson boxing fight
Jake Paul’s manager Nakisa Bidarian has hit back at boxing promoter Eddie Hearn over his recent criticism of the upcoming fight between the 27-year-old and Mike Tyson.
Hearn had labelled the bout a ‘freak show’ and expressed concern about the 58-year-old Tyson facing an opponent 30 years his junior last week.
Bidarian has now accused Hearn of hypocrisy, pointing out that the promoter’s star fighter Katie Taylor is set to feature on the undercard of the Paul-Tyson event.
The clash, scheduled for 15 November at AT&T Stadium in Texas, has faced widespread criticism from boxing fans and industry figures alike. It will be broadcast on Netflix, marking the streaming giant’s first foray into live boxing.
Hearn’s recent comments have reignited the controversy surrounding the fight. The promoter stated it would be a ‘travesty’ if Paul were to knock out Tyson, emphasising that true boxing fans have no interest in witnessing such an event.
Hearn had previously described the match-up as “sad”, given the significant age gap between the two fighters. The bout was initially set for earlier this year but was postponed to November after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up.
Despite the backlash, the event has garnered significant attention and excitement and anticipation is rising as the showdown approaches.
Bidarian took to social media to voice his frustration with Hearn’s stance.
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He said: “Keep getting sent these articles on Eddie Hearn taking shots at [Jake Paul] versus Mike Tyson. How, if you’re involved you have no empathy for the sport, how he’d never be involved in a million years.”
The manager pointed out Hearn’s involvement through Taylor’s participation, stating: “Eddie, you’re involved, man. Involved in a big way.
“Katie Taylor, your most celebrated fighter, is the co-main event and it’s her biggest payday as you know.”
Bidarian also highlighted Hearn’s apparent change of heart regarding the Anthony Joshua versus Francis Ngannou fight, which took place in March.
He noted that Hearn initially called it a ‘circus’ but later embraced the opportunity when it arose.
Hearn responded to Bidarian’s accusations, defending his position on the Paul-Tyson fight. He said: “There’s a bit of a big difference. Francis was an active fighter who basically beat (IMO) Tyson Fury. That win gave him all the credibility he needed. Mike is in his 50’s and 20 years ago he was shot as a fighter.”
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Hearn is currently focused on preparing Joshua for his title fight against Daniel Dubois on 21 September.
Meanwhile, Paul continues to build his boxing career, having recently secured over Mike Perry.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer boasts a record of ten wins and one loss from his 11 professional fights, with his sole defeat coming against Tommy Fury last year.
Tyson’s last fight was back in 2020 when his exhibition clash with Roy Jones Jr ended in a draw.