Jake Paul first and now Charles Barkley against Mike Tyson? Let’s clear it up first that, like many, Chuck too did not enjoy seeing a 27-year-old guy taking on a 58-year-old man in the ring. Even if that man is the legend, Mike Tyson. The ex-Philadelphia 76ers star, however, is ready to take on Mike himself for a certain amount. During the recent episode of The Steam Room, a caller pitched an idea of Charles Barkley fighting Jake Paul for $25 million. Ernie Johnson on the show, however, had a better idea.

Johnson asked Barkley’s opinion on his fight against Mike Tyson for any price he wants. “I whoop the hell out of Mike Tyson… You give me $40 million,” Chuck jokingly said. Paul reportedly received $40 million for the victory, while Tyson received $20 million.

On a more serious note, though, he clarified he “did not like that (fight) at all.” Neither the fight nor the idea of it. The reason, you ask? Same as for many fans who did not enjoy the fight–too much respect for Mike to play with his legacy like that. But it wasn’t just about that, as the fight broke numerous records.

It was the most-watched global sporting event ever on Netflix, pulling in 65 million live concurrent streams. And a total of 108 million viewers. And the fight before it? Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor’s bout averaged 74 million global viewers. Thus making it the most-watched women’s professional sporting event in U.S. history with 47 million viewers.

Impressive, right? But here’s the catch–while the stats were off the charts, the social media reactions were not. Barkley was on the same page as those disappointed fans.

“An old guy can’t beat a young guy. But I’m glad he didn’t get hurt. But also, he got hit a lot. It might not be there now, but at some point, there’s gonna be some damage to his brain. He made $20 million. That’s not worth,” Chuck said on the podcast. He further emphasized how important it is to think long-term, especially for your family.

Even though he respected Jake Paul’s dedication, Barkley made it clear he didn’t enjoy seeing Tyson in the ring like that. “I don’t wanna see an old guy getting his brain bashed in. That’s not a good look for me,” he said. But Chuck couldn’t resist adding his signature flair.

For $40 million, he joked, he’d throw on some gloves and take on Tyson himself. “I’d do some body shots…” he quipped, sidestepping his own no-head-shots rule. And there are more from the NBA community who would most likely be upset by Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul.

Charles Barkley is not the only one from Inside the NBA who might’ve had issues with Tyson’s fight

Shaquille O’Neal, like millions of others, couldn’t resist the allure of Mike Tyson stepping back into the ring. The NBA legend not only made his way to AT&T Stadium to witness the showdown between Mike and Jake but also put his money where his heart was.

On The Dan Patrick Show, Shaq confidently announced he was betting on Tyson, declaring, “Mike Tyson, baby. All the way.” The 4x NBA champ hilariously revealed his wager to be “a lot… one million pennies.” For a man worth over $500 million, it’s pocket change. But the emotional stakes were clearly higher.

Unfortunately for Shaq, Tyson fell to Jake Paul in a unanimous decision after eight intense rounds. For someone who idolizes the Baddest Man on the Planet, seeing Tyson lose was undoubtedly a bitter pill to swallow. Makes us wonder how he’d feel watching his close friend Charles Barkley take on Tyson for $40 million.