In a move that has left the boxing world buzzing, legendary boxer Mike Tyson, aged 57, has expressed his desire for a surprise showdown with Anthony Joshua, should he emerge victorious against Jake Paul in their rescheduled bout.
Tyson, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, is gearing up to return to the ring in November for a highly anticipated clash with Jake Paul, a crossover spectacle set to be broadcast live on Netflix. Despite the age gap of 31 years between them, Tyson is undeterred and has set his sights on a charity match against Joshua.
Speaking about the possibility of facing Joshua for a charitable cause, Tyson stated, “I’m very interested. If doing that means we can have a bigger charity exponent, well so be it, I’m down to do that, too. I would love to [fight Joshua]. That would be mind-blowing.”
However, before Tyson can entertain the idea of a charity bout with Joshua, he must first navigate his way past Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who has quickly become a polarizing figure in the sport. Joshua, on the other hand, has voiced concerns about Tyson’s health given his age, acknowledging the physical toll boxing takes on fighters.
While the booking of Tyson vs. Paul has stirred controversy within the boxing community, Joshua surprisingly supports the concept of such gimmick-driven fights. He believes that despite the criticism from purists, these events attract a wider audience to the sport, benefiting everyone involved.
With Tyson and Paul’s clash postponed to November due to a medical emergency, and Joshua coming off a dominant victory over Francis Ngannou in March, the stage is set for a potentially historic charity showdown between two heavyweight legends, should Tyson emerge victorious in his upcoming bout against Paul.