"They labeled him like an elderly abuser" - Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, KSI, and other MMA pros react to Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson announcement

The announcement of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight has seemingly caught many by surprise. It's been confirmed that 'The Problem Child' and 'Iron' will clash in a professional boxing match, a heavyweight bout, on July 20, 2024.

Many in the sports and pop culture dominions, including fans and experts, have now chimed in on the scheduled fight. Several combat sports personalities have criticized the matchmaking, particularly lambasting the 27-year-old Paul for fighting the 57-year-old Tyson, as many feel the latter's long past his athletic prime.

'Iron' Mike's most recent boxing matchup was an unscored exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020. Besides, the last time Tyson competed in a professional boxing match was way back in June 2005, losing via sixth-round stoppage against Kevin McBride. Meanwhile, Paul has competed in 10 pro boxing matches since January 2020.

Among the many fight fans and personalities who have criticized the booking, one happens to be MMA fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen. He harked back to former cruiserweight and heavyweight world champion boxer Evander Holyfield's vicious first-round TKO defeat against boxing debutant and UFC veteran Vitor Belfort in their boxing match in September 2021.

Sonnen indicated that there was a significant dichotomy in age between Holyfield and Belfort. He opined that Belfort subsequently didn't receive notable boxing opportunities, as they perceived his fight against Holyfield as elder abuse. Implying that Paul would similarly be derided for facing and beating Mike Tyson, Sonnen stated the following on the PBD Podcast:

"Vitor Belfort, who has never boxed, put him away so fast. So, this [Holyfield] is an Olympic gold medalist you're watching. Vitor, who has never done it [boxing], put him away so fast that it ended Vitor's [boxing] career. They would not book him again. They labeled him like an elderly abuser. 'How dare you? How could you do this?' Vitor never got another fight ... He [Paul] will get teased for taking this [Tyson] fight."

Check out Sonnen's comments below (5:00):

Additionally, Eddie Hearn too insinuated that given Tyson's age, the younger Paul would dominantly defeat him. The Matchroom Boxing promoter foresees Paul possibly hurting the boxing great's health and legacy. In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Hearn said:

"I'm a hardcore boxing fan. He [Tyson] is one of my heroes. I find it very sad. But it's a big event. I understand people are going to watch it. And it's entertainment, I guess. But for someone that idolized the guy growing up, yeah, not the best day."

Watch Hearn's assessment below (0:04):

Furthermore, boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya asserted that Jake Paul could potentially take the right matchups, steadily work toward a world title shot, and become a boxing world champion.

'The Golden Boy' highlighted that facing a 57-year-old Tyson would simply bring Paul a major payday and popularity but wouldn't help him in his quest for a world title. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, De La Hoya stated:

"He's not gonna get there [become a world champion] through Mike Tyson. He's gonna make a sh**load of money. He's gonna gain more popularity on Mike Tyson's expense. Do I like it? No. 'Cause I love Mike Tyson."

Watch De La Hoya's take below (0:33):

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Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: UFC Hall of Famer lambasts 'The Problem Child'

Taking to X, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping and BJJ savant Dillon Danis, UFC lightweight Renato Moicano, and YouTuber/boxer KSI all asserted that Jake Paul should be ashamed of fighting the 50-plus-year-old Mike Tyson. UFC Hall of Famer Bisping condemned 'The Problem Child' and tweeted:

"You should be ashamed of yourself. And the biggest joke is you don’t even slightly realize why."

Moreover, many other X users sounded off on Jake Paul. One fan suggested that the YouTuber/boxer avoids young fighters like Mike Perry and pursuing older veterans. Meanwhile, MMA pioneer Dan Severn simply tweeted about the fight's date and venue while referring to Paul as "polarizing" and a "rabble-rouser."

Check out the screenshots of some of the reactions to the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight announcement below:

Screenshots of reactions