Former UFC star responds to Demetrious Johnson

A former UFC veteran recently reacted to Demetrious Johnson’s commentary on the postponement of the highly anticipated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson matchup. ‘The Problem Child’ was scheduled to square off against the heavyweight boxing legend on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

However, following Tyson’s ulcer flare-up during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles, it was announced that the bout would be indefinitely postponed, with plans to unveil a revised fight date in the near future.

The reigning ONE flyweight champion holds the opinion that Paul and Tyson should not reschedule their bout. Instead, ‘Mighty Mouse’ suggests that the YouTuber-turned-boxer should take on another prominent figure in a safer match.

During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Johnson said:

“I understand Mike Tyson is a big name, and Netflix wants to do it. But I don’t think they should revisit it. There are plenty of guys out there that Jake Paul can fight. Mike Tyson is 58 years old, and I don’t know what his health history is.”

Johnson proposed that ‘The Problem Child’ should consider fighting against his long-standing rival, KSI, with whom Paul has a contentious past. Additionally, he floated the names of former UFC fighters such as Tyron Woodley, Mike Perry, and Jorge Masvidal as potential substitutes for ‘Iron Mike’.

Check out Demetrious Johnson’s comments below:

Former UFC middleweight fighter Sam Alvey chimed in on the comments section of MMA Fighting’s Instagram post and seemingly stated that Johnson could beat Paul in a hypothetical bout:

“Mighty Mouse would destroy Paul.”

Check out Sam Alvey’s comment below:

Credits: @mmafighting on Instagram

Despite the buzz surrounding the event, the announcement of the Paul-Tyson bout in March drew significant backlash from the combat sports community, with Alvey also voicing his criticism.

Much of the disapproval revolves around the substantial 31-year age difference between the two fighters and Tyson’s prolonged absence from competitive action.

When did Jake Paul and Mike Tyson last compete in their individual bouts?

Jake Paul secured a first-round TKO victory against Ryan Bourland this past March. ‘The Problem Child’ has notched wins over former UFC fighters such as Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz, boasting a professional record with just one loss in his 10-fight career. That sole defeat came in February 2023 via a split decision against Tommy Fury.

Meanwhile, Mike Tyson hasn’t competed in professional boxing since he retired on his stool following his bout against Kevin McBride in June 2005. However, ‘Iron Mike’ has rigorously adhered to a training routine for several years. In November 2020, he made a comeback to the ring for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr., resulting in a draw. Tyson boasts a professional record of 50-6, comprising 44 victories by knockout.