Mike Tyson should keep his gloves hung up as boxing’s Baddest Man was a shot fighter twenty years ago when he lost badly to Kevin McBride in 20024.
That’s the view of heavyweight Joey Dawejko, who has shared the ring with many of today’s top stars. Dawejko, who sparred with Deontay Wilder and gave Anthony Joshua trouble before the Brit lost to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019, spoke to World Boxing News exclusively about Tyson’s plans to fight Jake Paul at 58.
Asked what he makes of Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul at 58, Dawejko was largely unimpressed.
“I think it’s just a money grab for both of them. So I don’t really think too much of it,” Dawejko told WBN before answering whether the former heavyweight champion can beat a 27-year-old YouTuber with minimal boxing skills.
“No, I don’t. Even though it’s a fight at two-minute rounds, Tyson was shot 20 years ago when he fought Kevin McBride. There’s no reason for him to be still competing in a ring. The only reason for him to be in a gym these days is to stay healthy,” said the Philadelphia puncher.
Mike Tyson’s health problems
Despite massive opposition to the fight, including worries over Tyson’s health due to a stomach ulcer, Paul seems intent on plowing on with the event. There’s evident pressure from his deal with Netflix, which was agreed upon in November and has yet to bear fruit. If Tyson gets ruled out, there are already two options for Paul to turn to. Darren Till and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. are in the mix, the latter of whom would be the massive favorite at this stage.
Paul has been calling out everyone with a name since defeating the hapless Mike Perry on Saturday night. The former Disney child star dominated Perry from start to finish before taking him out in six rounds.
Many would like Paul to face a bonafide boxer. This is where Chavez would come in. However, it’s common knowledge that Chavez has been past his expiration date for some time. Anderson Silva also defeated the Mexican, which shocked some at the time but not those aware of Chavez’s levels since losing to Canelo in 2017.
The fact Paul beat Silva via a unanimous decision in 2022 gives the influencer all the confidence in the world that he could beat Chavez, which probably would be the case.
Paul vs. Chavez Jr. on Netflix this November looks far more realistic than Tyson. An alphabet title will likely appease Netflix’s demands to increase interest.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
