On the other hand, Paul has been carving out a name for himself in professional boxing, securing victories over ex-UFC champions such as Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Ben Askren. His sole defeat came from Tommy Fury via split decision in February last year.
As Paul gears up to face Tyson – who is thirty years his senior – later this year, heavyweight powerhouse Joshua has pinpointed a glaring problem with Paul accepting a bout against one of boxing’s greatest figures. Reflecting on a similar scenario, Joshua told The Sun in 2020 that he would never agree to fight Tyson, stating: “With all due respect, I wouldn’t,” reports the Mirror.
“Even if I fought Iron Mike and beat him, I think I’d be the only one cheering. People would boo. He is a legend. He is the greatest boxer of the modern era. There are only two recognised champions the world knows of, [Muhammad] Ali and Mike Tyson – the most recognised faces in the world when it comes to boxing.”
Many fight enthusiasts have expressed their disdain for Paul’s decision to go up against Tyson, not least UFC icon Michael Bisping who offered a scathing critique of their recent New York press conference. Amidst a torrent of jeers, Paul fired back: “Hey New York, you’re just like Mike Tyson – you were good 20 years ago. F*** you New York,” while giving the middle finger.
Bisping was not one to pull punches in his assessment, explaining: “First of all, trash talk is terrible. All he can do is resort to going ‘f*** you New York, f*** you New York… you’re what Mike Tyson was, good 20 years ago’. Jake, I hate to point out the obvious, that makes you look pathetic. You just admitted that you’re going up against an old man – who is a legend of course, but he’s not that guy anymore.”
Meanwhile, Joshua is set to face off against IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium this weekend. If victorious, he could potentially secure a shot at the undisputed title against either Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk. However, 34-year-old AJ will have his work cut out for him as Dubois boasts an impressive record of 21-2 with 20 career knockouts.
