NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has admitted he has conflicted feelings over Jake Paul's upcoming boxing bout against Mike Tyson.
This Friday, 'The Problem Child' will step into the ring against the heavyweight icon at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The professional contest will see the two men throwdown for eight two-minute rounds and will be livestreamed for subscribers on Netflix. The event marks the streaming platform's first ever live combat sports event.
Since the bout was announced, it has faced major criticism, with many fans and boxing entities calling out the age disparity between the fighters. When the pair step into the ring, 'Iron Mike' will be 58 years old, 31 years older then Jake Paul, who is 27. Their contest will also mark Tyson's first return to professional action for nearly 20 years, as he previously retired back in 2005.
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With their bout now just around the corner, 'Shaq' recently weighed in and admitted he is in something of a moral dilemma. O'Neal, who was speaking on his The Big Podcast, doesn't see how Jake Paul could feel good about a win, should he be victorious:
"If you're Jake Paul, do you feel good about beating a 58-year-old Mike Tyson? I'm just saying, If [he wins]. I don't think he's [Paul] the favorite. I'm just saying he's [Tyson] 58 and approaching f*cking 60. I'm just saying if Jake does happen to win, can he feel good about beating a 58-year-old? I would feel sh*t. I really would."
Catch O'Neal's comments here (1:10):
Logan Paul issues warning to Mike Tyson after he slapped Jake Paul
Logan Paul has sent Mike Tyson a warning on social media after the boxing legend slapped his brother Jake Paul on stage during their faceoff.
After the pair stepped both successfully made weight on the scales, Tyson and Paul were due to face off one final time before they step into the ring later today.
The bad blood between the pair boiled over when 'The Problem Child' stepped in too close to 'Iron Mike', who swiftly delivered him a slap across the face before being held back by security.
Following the incident, 'The Maverick' took to X, where he took aim at Tyson and labeled the slap a "grave error" in judgement. He tweeted:
"My brother got slapped by Mike Tyson, f**king iconic... but a grave error. This fight just became personal for Jake. Tomorrow’s outcome will be utter devastation for Mike; the new face of boxing will be crowned tomorrow @jakepaul," wrote Logan.