Mike Tyson Says Jake Paul, YouTube Boxers Make 'Boxing Alive,' Saved 'Dying Sport'

Mike Tyson, considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, said Saturday before Jake Paul's fight against UFC legend Anderson Silva that he believes Paul and other YouTube boxers are helping revive the sport.

Tyson said:

"Listen, my ego says so many things, but my reality is they help boxing so much. ... These guys making boxing alive. Boxing was pretty much a dying sport, so UFC was kicking our butt, and now we have these YouTube boxers. Boxing is getting 25 million views. Boxing is going back thanks to the YouTube boxers."

Tyson and Paul have been friends since the two competed on the same pay-per-view card in 2020, and the former has come to the YouTube star's defense on numerous occasions, including during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live in June.

During that interview, Tyson reiterated his stance that Paul has been good for boxing and deserves some credit:

“He’s beating people who he shouldn’t really be beating and you’ve got to give him that credit.

“He’s doing so much good for boxing. Listen, this guy has got 70 million people following him every time he fights. Champions of the world don’t have that many people following them. So what he’s doing for boxing is just sensational, no one should be hating on that. They should be saying ‘yeah let’s just fight him’. He’s helping everybody get money, so why are people mad at him?”

Tyson and Paul have even expressed interest in fighting each other in the past. However, former pro boxer and current boxing coach Freddie Roach seems to think a bout will never happen, saying in September that Tyson allegedly walked out on one of Paul's sparring sessions after watching him for 30 seconds.

"Tyson looked at him and left," Roach said. "He saw 30 seconds of him sparring and said, ‘Freddie, can we go downstairs and look at the pictures?’ He knows that’s where the good pictures are."

Paul was quick to respond to Roach's claims, via talkSPORT's Michael Benson:

“First and foremost, I saw these things that Freddie Roach was saying – that I was like sparring at his gym. First of all, I’ve never even trained at Wild Card gym, Freddie is a f--king idiot, he’s a hater.

“He coached Ben Askren to no avail, literally worthless, he’s off his rocker. He literally trains zero good fighters anymore and is a Jake Paul hater. Mike Tyson has never watched me spar, Mike Tyson has never been in the gym at the same time as me sparring.

“I went to Wild Card like once to talk to somebody for a meeting and for my brother’s press conference there. But Mike Tyson wasn’t anywhere in the vicinity, so it’s just Freddie Roach spreading rumours.

“Especially because me and Mike are friends man. Mike wouldn’t do that, Mike wouldn’t be like, ‘Ah f--k this kid, let’s go and do something else.’ Mike respects me and I respect Mike, but it would be dope to fight. I’m down. It could be fun.”

Paul is aiming to improve to 6-0 when he steps into the ring against Silva on Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

The 25-year-old has wins against YouTuber AnEsonGib, Nate Robinson, Ben Askren and two victories against Tyron Woodley. Silva will arguably be his toughest opponent to date.

Tyson, meanwhile, is 50-6 in his career with 44 wins by knockout. He hasn't fought in a non-exhibition match since June 2005 against Kevin McBride.