Lennox Lewis makes stance clear on ‘YouTuber’ Jake Paul ahead of blockbuster Mike Tyson boxing fight
Lennox Lewis has admitted he thinks it is a ‘good and bad’ thing that ‘YouTubers’ like Jake Paul are turning to boxing as the 27-year-old prepares to lock horns with Mike Tyson.
All eyes will be on both men when they fight at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on November 15.
Paul has divided opinion during his time in boxing, ever since his first fight back in 2020.
The American, as well as his brother Logan and KSI, have all swapped YouTube for the boxing ring at various points over the last few years.
Some have seen their involvement in the sport as tarnishing it.
And Lewis, speaking on Sky Sports, has admitted he thinks it is both a ‘good and bad thing’ that more youngsters are changing careers.
“It’s good and bad,” he said. “A lot of boxers that are out there training hard and working and trying to get a shot at the championship don’t get a chance.
“All of a sudden, a YouTuber comes along and gets all the excitement, all the praise and the money.
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“So, in that way, it’s not fair.”
The clash between Tyson and Paul is a controversial one. Due to the huge age gap between the two men, it’s unclear how the action will unfold.
Lewis acknowledges that Tyson, at the age of 58, faces a ‘hard’ task.
But the British boxing legend believes Iron Mike is up for the challenge and capable of shocking the world next weekend.
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“It’s hard to box when you’re that old, moving around the ring, throwing punches, getting punches thrown at you, but I think he can handle it,” he said.
“I was thinking that Jake Paul was going to be in trouble, because Mike Tyson knows how to throw great body punches, great head shots.
“We just have to see if he’s going to do them in the ring – I’m hoping that he’ll do that.”
On what he expects, he continued: “[I expect to see] Mike Tyson just kind of cutting off the ring and throwing body and head blows, when he can catch up to Jake Paul.
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“I’m sure Jake Paul will be moving fast, moving around the ring.
“He’s not going to want to stand there and get hit by Mike Tyson!
“I’ll be there and it’s going to be exciting.”
Lewis has previously indicated that he’d be open to fighting Tyson in a rematch, with the pair previously facing off in 2002.
On whether he could come out of retirement one day, the 59-year-old continued: “There’s always a tempt.
“Being a boxer, everybody is always saying ‘well, when are you going to go back in the ring’? I’m like, ‘I’ve retired’.
“There’s a moment a time and then you’ve got to leave it alone and go into something else and that’s me.”