Terence Crawford has suggested that what he saw between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson did not look like a real fight to him.
‘Bud’ was one of the many high-profile names tuning in as Netflix made its debut in the world of boxing in late 2024, hosting its first-ever combat sports event.
The main event featured Paul taking on Tyson, who had been out of professional competition for nearly 20 years.
The fight drew heavy criticism because of the legendary heavyweight’s age. Fortunately, Tyson escaped damage in what was widely considered a lackluster and disappointing bout, leading Crawford to suggest a specific reason for the underwhelming performance.
Terence Crawford believes Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson was staged
More than a year after Paul’s win over Tyson, ‘Bud’ has doubled down on his view that the fight was “scripted”.
Back in 2024, Crawford did not hold back in his assessment of Tyson’s effort inside the ring, calling the performance “trash”.
Speaking recently on the Joe Rogan Experience, he went even further while reflecting on the bout.
“I think (Paul vs Tyson) was scripted,” Crawford began by saying.
“I ain’t never seen Tyson biting his gloves and like – it was taking all that he could not to hit him.
“It’s heartbreaking to see an icon go like that. He shouldn’t have been in there at all. There’s other ways (to make money).
“I think with all his connections and things like that, people could’ve put him in the right position to make some money.”
Mike Tyson’s next opponent confirmed, return date announced
Despite the fallout from his last appearance, ‘Iron Mike’ is not quite ready to call it a day.
The former heavyweight champion is reportedly set to face Floyd Mayweather later this year, who has also recently come out of retirement.
The fight is being lined up for 25 April, and according to The Ring magazine’s Mike Coppinger, it could take place in Congo.
However, Mayweather has more than just one big fight on the calendar. His long-awaited rematch with Manny Pacquiao is set for September 19th and will be the first boxing event ever held inside the Las Vegas Sphere.
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