Former world champion boxer Tony Bellew has called out ‘Disney Boy’ Jake Paul for ‘attacking granddads’ ahead of the latter’s much-anticipated bout against Mike Tyson. The internet sensation is set for arguably the most significant fight of his fledgling career against one of the sport’s most storied figures at AT&T Stadium on November 15.
The legitmacy of the contest has been subject to widespread debate within the boxing community since it was announced. That discourse ramped up further after it was sanctioned as a professional fight – despite the competitors being separated in age by over three decades.
YouTube star Paul, 27, is just 11 fights into his career in the ring, while former world heavyweight champion Tyson, 58, has not fought in nearly 20 years. Amid the controversy surrounding the event, the Netflix-backed match promises to be one of the most compelling of the year so far when the pair do battle in Arlington, Texas.
However, it appears that British retired fighter Bellew counts himself among the purists as he revealed his disapproval towards the bout on the eve of the fight. Speaking to Best Offshore Sportsbooks, he said: “Mike Tyson’s a granddad. He’s 58-years-old. He’s closing in on 60 and he’s fighting a man who isn’t even half his age.
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“The Disney Boy is just attacking granddads now. It’s truly frightening,” the Liverpudlian continued, as he expressed his concerns over the age difference between the fighters. “I mean, we might as well go to the retirement home and start getting out a few of them. If Mike turns up and lands a right hand on him, he’s going to sleep.”
Bellew also questioned whether the event actually sets a negatvie precedent for Paul as he continues to establish a boxing career. He said: “So who should he come back against? A 70-year-old? If he wins, is he going to keep going like that with the age? Is he going to come down? Is he going to face a real boxer?”
Conversely, the former WBC cruiserweight title holder seemed enthused by the prospect of watching Katie Taylor face off against Amanda Serrano in a re-match on the event’s undercard. Their previous contest in 2022 is considered one of the best in the history of women’s boxing, with the undisputed light-welterweight championship on the line in Texas this week.
Looking forward to that fight, Bellew said: “At £4.99 you can’t go wrong, you’re going to be entertained. For a fiver, you’re getting to see probably the greatest rematch female boxing has ever seen in Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano. Don’t sleep on that. I was there at Madison Square Garden for the first fight and it was one of the best I’ve ever seen.
“Katie Taylor is an unbelievable fighter. She’s righted the wrongs that she’s had in her career and now she’s back to face Serrano once again. It’s a toss up between Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields as the greatest female fighters of all time.”
Meanwhile, ‘Bomber’ gave his predictions ahead of the re-match between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury on December 21. He said: “Coming in heavier is going to slow him down. He needs to be able to get to Usyk, to be able to land on him and then jump on him for the second phase of the attack.
“And if you’re heavier, you won’t get there so you’ll miss the second phase of the attack. The most important thing going into this fight is the actual tactics, forget about your weight. I’ve never, ever been as tired as I was after fighting Usyk in my whole entire life. AJ said the same thing to me. I’m pretty sure when Tyson Fury finished that first fight with him, it’ll have been the most tired he’s ever been as well.”
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