For just a moment I thought I had better check whether Mike Tyson is older than me. After all, we do seem to have spent half a lifetime across the ropes from each other.
Of course, I do have about a quarter of a century over him but still the age difference is less than the 30 years between Iron Mike and Jake Paul. So when it was announced that these two are to fight each for real for other this summer the gut reaction was a sharp intake of breath.
What is this? Father against son for a family fortune? Well, for the money, yes.
The gaping-mouthed reaction around the world varies between fears for Tyson’s life and ridicule for boxing making a mockery of itself yet again. An obscenity even.
It is understandable that health and welfare would be concerned for a man of bus pass age in America. But the more you think about it, maybe, the anxiety should be focussed on the other side of the ring.
Jake Paul will fight boxing legend Mike Tyson at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas later this year
57-year-old Tyson is stepping back into the ring to fight Paul in an unusual matchup
Former unified heavyweight world champion, Tyson, possesses potentially the most decapitating punch in ring history
Tyson is not one of the nobodies who Paul has been mowing down for fun on and lolly since crossing over from YouTube scuffling to a semblance to boxing proper.
Even if I were 50 years younger I would not want to be on the receiving end of potentially the most decapitating punch in ring history.
Call it a farce, call it a fraud a disgrace or a downright shame – all of which are an argument – but Master Paul is the one at greatest risk of serious harm.
Throughout his thunderous career Tyson made a habit of knocking proven heavyweights out, often with a single sledgehammer. And the last thing any boxer loses is his punch.
Tyson wouldn’t be doing this, even for the money, if he did not believe he has a chance of doing the same to his young paymaster. There is recent film of Tyson knocking the stuffing out of the heavy bag in the gym.
Paul is attempting to forge a boxing career for himself but this will be his biggest test yet
Paul’s upcoming fight against Tyson is likely to fill, in Dallas, the biggest National Football League Stadium in America
Of course he would have to catch the kid but he was always one of the fastest heavies in the world. He showed some of that when training UFC icon Francis Ngannou for his boxing debut in which he knocked down and almost beat Tyson Fury.
Such activity has brought him back to good condition for his age. Mister Tyson is still the last man any mugger could wish to try his luck with in an alley.
Hopefully, he will continue banking the cash from his huge cannabis ranch in Nevada but restrain his liking for the product until July.
Should this event be happening? Preferably not but it is likely to fill, in Dallas, the biggest National Football League Stadium in America. Will the medical profession be aghast? For sure. But maybe for the wrong reason.