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Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson© Getty Images
Boxing icon Oscar De La Hoya has expressed concern for Mike Tyson ahead of his upcoming match against Jake Paul, who he describes as a "real fighter". Tyson, the former unified heavyweight world champion, is set to return to professional boxing after 19 years, facing off against YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul in Arlington this July.
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The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has sanctioned the event as a professional bout, albeit with modified rules to accommodate Tyson's age. The 57-year-old will compete against 27-year-old Paul in eight two-minute rounds at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, on July 20. Tyson will be 58 by the time the fight takes place.
The fighters will use 14oz gloves instead of the standard 10oz gloves typically used in the heavyweight division, providing additional padding behind their punches. The recent announcement that the fight will be held under professional rules rather than as an exhibition has raised concerns about Tyson's safety, given his opponent is 30 years younger.
Former six-weight world champion De La Hoya shared his worries with TMZ, saying: "I'm going to pray for Mike Tyson, 'cause I love Mike Tyson. I think Jake Paul, look, he's a real fighter. He really is. It's a dangerous fight. Mike Tyson, be careful, please."
Paul boasts a 9-1 professional record in the boxing ring, with his only defeat being a split decision against Tommy Fury last year. However, critics argue that his record has been carefully curated with matches against aging MMA stars and lesser-known boxers.
Amanda Serrano v Nina Meinke - Weigh-in© Getty Images
Despite this, "The Problem Child" is favored to win against "Iron Mike" (50-6) when they face off in the ring. Yet, De La Hoya maintains that regardless of the fight's outcome, Tyson's legacy in the sport remains unscathed. "No, Mike Tyson is cemented, legacy, forever," De La Hoya stated. "Mike Tyson will be the man forever."
I've been fighting since I was this tall.
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Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, asserts that both fighters wanted the match to be professionally sanctioned from the beginning. He commented: "Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome.
"Over the past six weeks, MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul vs. Tyson and we are grateful that we have gotten to this point."
Katie Taylor will go up against long-time rival Amanda Serrano in the event's undercard, with the undisputed super lightweight title at stake. The event will be streamed globally on Netflix.
