MIKE TYSON’S team could stop him from returning to the ring to fight Jake Paul – MMA legend Dan Hardy has warned.
The heavyweight icon faces YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul on November 15 in a bout widely slammed over the 30-year age gap.
The already controversial clash was further scrutinised when Tyson pulled out of the initial July 20 date after suffering an ulcer flare up in his stomach.
And former UFC title challenger Hardy does not rule out the fight facing the KO for good.
He told Bloody Elbow: “As much as I’m enjoying Jake Paul as a phenomenon in combat sports, I feel like beating up Mike Tyson would not do great things for his brand.
“I honestly think a lot of the fun poking and fat suits and stuff that we are seeing now is actually working against him a little bit because Mike Tyson is held in such high regard.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if that fight falls away and Mike is somewhat protected by the people around him because I do think that would be worth considering for them.
“There’s so many people Jake Paul can fight, he doesn’t need to be fighting Mike Tyson. If he was calling him out 10 years ago, 15 years ago, fair enough.
“This version of Mike is not the person who represents who Mike Tyson was when he was at the top of the sport.”
Despite the previous health scare, Tyson has been deemed medically fit to continue training.
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But he is required to undergo additional brain and hearts tests ahead of his fight while both will undergo mandatory drug testing.
Tyson retired in 2005 following two dismal defeats but did return in for an exhibition bout in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr.
But his controversial comeback is to be professionally sanctioned with records on the line – Iron Mike’s first real fight in 15 YEARS.
Paul, 27, meanwhile has ten wins and only one loss in the boxing ring, losing a 2023 split-decision to Tommy Fury, 25.
And Hardy – joined by many other boxing fans – fears Tyson could be sent “crashing to the canvas” by his opponent 30-YEARS his junior.
He said: “I’m a big Mike Tyson fan as many combat sports people are.
“You know, time always catches up with us and Mike Tyson isn’t the fighter he was even a couple of years ago.
“Even when he fought Roy Jones Jr. I thought he looked good, but in the last couple of years, I feel like his age has really started to show through.
“Like, he’s still a dangerous man in his own mind and you would want to upset the guy, that’s for sure.
“In a boxing contest where you’re in with someone who is in their 20s, over 200lbs and spending all day every day working on his boxing.
“What none of us want to see is Mike Tyson go crashing to the canvas and Jake Paul celebrating.”
