Jake Paul has been given a stern warning ahead of his heavyweight showdown against Mike Tyson following a major rule change.
Paul will welcome Tyson back to the ring when they meet on November 15 in a professional bout that has been sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations.
Even though it's a pro fight, it will be contested over eight two-minute rounds.
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And both boxers will be wearing 14-ounce gloves rather than the standard 10-ounce gloves which are normally worn in pro matches.
However, the extra padding in the gloves will provide no benefit to Paul, according to Hall of Fame boxing referee Richard Steele, who emphasised the 58-year-old's legendary power.
"That's still a small glove thinking about the power of Mike Tyson," he said, before adding: "He's still dangerous. He has so much power... I just hope he don't end up getting hurt or hurt the other guy."
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Steele, who refereed six of Tyson’s fights, added: "With Mike Tyson, it's so dangerous even for the referee because you got to be close, but you got to be far away to be able to allow them to do their thing."
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Steele also reckons the two-minute rounds will favour Tyson over 'The Problem Chid', saying: “I don't see the guy going that distance with Tyson. Because Tyson, he's so strong and he's a ex-champion. He knows what he's doing and for two minutes... he can go all out."
He continued: "You had to be always aware of what's going on because one of Tyson's punches could really hurt the other guy. And maybe he don't need to take the other punch."
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'Iron' Mike hasn't fought professionally since June 2005 when he suffered a shock defeat to Ireland's Kevin McBride.
But he returned to action against fellow boxing great Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition back in November 2020.
Paul, on the other hand, has 11 pro fights to his name, including his most recent bout against former UFC fighter Mike Perry last July.
Topics: Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, Boxing
Nasir Jabbar