‘People are just mad that it’s permanently on BoxRec that I beat Mike Tyson’

ORLANDO, Florida – If Jake Paul has any regrets about picking on a 58-year-old man, he refused to show it Friday at the WBA convention in Orlando, where he staged his latest MVP show.

Four weeks ago, over eight two-minutes rounds, Paul, 27, dominated a ring-worn Mike Tyson, 58. It was a depressing spectacle for Tyson fans, yet a wholly predictable outcome in a contest between two men with a 31-year age difference.

The event drew huge numbers on Netflix, with 100 million homes reportedly tuning in to watch the former world heavyweight champion dutifully take his licks. Those who staged and commissioned the contest, as well as Paul himself, have subsequently been criticized for the beatdown of a man closing in on his 60th year.

Paul, however, has not been listening to any negative feedback.

“There is no response to the reaction of the Tyson fight,” he said. “I quite frankly didn’t look at it. What do I care that people have to say about anything that I do? If anyone in my life has something to say, then they’ll text me.

“If you don’t have my number, then I don’t give a fuck about you. All the texts were, ‘best event ever,’ ‘incredible,’ ‘you’re the face of boxing,’ all of these things, love, love, love – and that’s all I care about.”

Paul’s business partner, Nakisa Bidarian, was quick to defend the bout and its status as a professional fight.  

“Mike Tyson wanted it to be a pro fight,” he said. “Of course it was going to be a pro fight, if that’s what he wanted. This was his chance for retribution for his legacy. When he fought the last time in a professional fight [vs Kevin McBride in 2005], he sat on his stool and didn’t get back up. He decided to make this a pro fight, and Jake said, ‘Yeah, if that’s what he wants to do.’ He said he wanted two-minute rounds, so he had more stamina. Jake said, ‘No problem.’ He said he wanted eight rounds instead of 10 rounds, Jake said there was no problem. There are no regrets at all. We put on the biggest moment for boxing in the past 30 years.”

Paul then quipped: “People are just mad that it’s permanently on BoxRec that I beat Mike Tyson. [Laughs.]”

The contest, and its outcome, resulted in an astonishing amount of elite fighters – ranging from Daniel Dubois to Gervonta Davis to Artur Beterbiev – putting their names forward to fight Paul next. He insists he is never the one doing the calling, however, and he only speaks about anyone when asked to do so in interviews.

“That’s the landscape we’re in – everyone just trying to talk shit and peacock-jockey for their position,” he said. “Beyond all the shit talk, I don’t want to create a back-and-forth of nonsense, but I have the biggest fight in boxing history; the numbers tell the truth of that, so people can say whatever they want. So let me see someone with more numbers, then we can talk.”