Netflix’s blockbuster entry into boxing has taken the entire community by storm. Scheduled for Saturday, July 20, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the bout will see Jake Paul against the legendary Mike Tyson. Though some in the community have expressed concerns about Tyson’s age, the man who trained Tyson in the past, Teddy Atlas, has green-lit the affair. 

Tyson and Atlas go way back when the former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ was nothing but a punk. Though their relationship had soured due to various factors in their past, the Staten Island native seems excited about the fight. While appearing in a 7 March interview with Pro Boxing Fans, the highly decorated trainer praised both Paul and Tyson for arranging the fight. 

Teddy Atlas claims he is a Jake Paul fan!

Speaking about the upcoming fight, Atlas proudly announced, “I am actually a fan of Jake Paul’s. I like him because he has not disrespected my sport.” The ESPN commentator has been in the sport for over 50 years but doesn’t consider Paul’s move to fight Tyson a sign of disrespect to the sport. On the contrary, he sings songs of praise for the 27-year-old boxer.

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Justifying Paul’s place in the boxing community, Atlas claimed, “He busted his backside, training doing what he had to do to learn the best he could learn.” The boxing trainer didn’t forget Paul’s bouts against MMA fighters, suggesting, “They might not have been purely a striker. Obviously, they were UFC champions, but they were champions.”

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Atlas even highlighted that Paul isn’t scared of giving people what they want. “He fought a fighter everyone wanted, Tommy Fury, and he lost in a competitive way,” said Atlas. On the other hand, regarding Mike Tyson, Atlas described what he thinks is the reason ‘Iron Mike’ accepted the fight. “Tyson’s been a legend. He’s probably thinking, this is for all the old-timers. All the old champions. This is for the old school,” said Atlas. 

While Atlas claims, “It’s interesting. I give them both credit,” he isn’t the only one talking about the impending clash. 

UFC light heavyweight claims, “Both will make a lot of money”

At the peak of excitement about the fight, Brazilian mixed martial artist and a popular name in the UFC light heavyweight division, Johnny Walker, expressed his thoughts on the fight. Turning to X (formerly Twitter), Walker seemed confident about the fight being a marketing stunt. He said, “I actually think that Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight is a very good smart marketing fight.”

Walker further added that it’s a great opportunity for them to make money. “Both will make a lot of money, good for Mike – he deserves it,” said Walker. He even suggested that the fight might be an exhibition. But as per a statement from Ariel Helwani from MMA Hour, the fight seems to be a professional bout under the auspice of The Texas Boxing Commission. 

With that said, Teddy Atlas’ candid assessment of the fight shows his confidence in Tyson’s ability to still put on a show. More importantly, it highlights why Jake Paul is a worthy opponent for Tyson to face. Though some might not agree, no one can deny the excitement among fans about Mike’s return to the ring. Do you think Paul disrespected Mike or the sport by his move to fight the former heavyweight champion?

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