The world of combat sports has its eye on the upcoming fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former undisputed heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson. The hype for this match is off the charts, getting attention from various combat sports personalities around the world including UFC star Curtis Blaydes.

This buzz has even reached Blaydes, who has a crucial fight of his own coming up against interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall at UFC 304. Despite his upcoming challenge, Blaydes couldn’t help but weigh in on the upcoming Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. In a recent interview with a YouTube channel, he expressed his disapproval of the fight, raising concerns about Mike Tyson’s age.

Curtis Blaydes is not looking forward to Paul vs. Tyson

A few months ago, the announcement that 58-year-old Mike Tyson was coming out of retirement sent shockwaves through the world. MMA experts and fans were confused and left wondering how someone in his late fifties could could take down a boxer in his thirties. This sparked debates about the legitimacy of the fight.  Recently, UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes addressed these questions. In an interview with the YouTube channel “MiddleEasy,” the host asked Blaydes his thoughts on the fight and asked whether he planned to watch it

Not wasting any time, Curtis Blaydes gave his blunt answer. “I will not be watching, ” Blaydes said, “I think it’s a joke fight. You could tell just by how they’ve been interacting with each other at the press conference.” Blaydes further emphasized his disapproval, calling the fight unfair due to the vast age difference between Tyson and Paul.

Curtis Blaydes didn’t stop there. He also raised a questions about Mike Tyson’s age and attitude towards his opponent. Blaydes believes it’s not the same as it used to be before his retirement in 2005. He added, “That’s not the Mike Tyson who’s coming to rip your head off. That’s the Iron Mike, and it’s just not the same sort of thing.”

This criticism is not new for Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Their fight has faced similar criticism for months since the announcement. Many MMA athletes, like Colby Covington and Sean Strickland, have called the fight fixed or targeted Jake Paul for fighting a much older Mike Tyson.

Ongoing criticism surrounds Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight

Jake Paul’s rapid rise in the boxing world has been met with recurring criticism. His fights against past-their-prime MMA legends Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren garnered significant attention but also fueled accusations that he targets fighters well past their prime or nearing retirement.

Meanwhile, Colby Covington, in an interview with Twinspod, has accused Jake Paul’s fight of being fixed, drawing ire over the legitimacy of the bout. He stated, “It’s a fake fight. It’s a fixed fight for sure, most of Jake’s fights are all fixed….That’s not a sanctioned fight, I guess it’s gonna be like an exhibition.”

Colby Covington further slammed the fight, calling it a circus sideshow motivated purely by money. He claims it’s just a poly to sell tickets. Covington also expressed sympathy for “Iron Mike,” believing Tyson is well past his prime and should be enjoying retirement like legends Tom Brady and Michael Jordan.

In light of these concerns, Covington’s concern isn’t just a whim, but rather based on facts. Further complicating the matter, Mike Tyson reportedly suffered a medical emergency while boarding a plane last night. This situation casts doubt on Tyson’s ability to compete in his upcoming bout, scheduled for July 20th

What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s statement? Should Mike Tyson consider retiring from boxing again? Let us know in the comments below!