Eddie Hearn says Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is "not my cup of tea" and he probably will not watch the upcoming fight despite already being in the building.
Paul vs. Tyson takes place Friday in Arlington, Texas, but Hearn will be in attendance in a professional capacity as Katie Taylor defends her undisputed women's super-lightweight title against Amando Serrano in the co-main event.
Matchroom boss Hearn counts Taylor among the top talent in his stable, and the Irish champion's rematch against Serrano would likely headline on any other night.
However, the spectacle of 58-year-old Tyson returning to the ring to face Paul, a social media star-turned-boxer more than 30 years Tyson's junior, is undoubtedly the main draw of Friday's card — even though Hearn would prefer if it wasn't happening at all.
"You know, a lot of people ask my opinion and sometimes it gets me, not into trouble, but obviously it can ruffle the feathers of the MVP guys," Hearn said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
"I'm not looking to go out and talk about Jake Paul against Mike Tyson. I just get asked about it in every interview. And I've always been straight with people. I've always been honest. I'm not gonna brown nose people. I'm not calling for this fight to be banned. All I'm saying is that it's not my cup of tea."
Hearn explained that he idolized the "Baddest Man on the Planet" as a kid growing up in the boxing world and he doesn't see the upside to Tyson stepping back into the ring at nearly 60 years old.
"I grew up around boxing since I was seven years old," he said. "Mike Tyson was probably one of my greatest heroes in sport. I just don't want to see him in the ring again at 58, that's it!"
But while the boxing fan in Hearn isn't excited about the prospect of this week's bout, he said the promoter in him understands the appeal.
"It's going to do great numbers," Hearn said. "People are going to make a lot of money. It's fine. I'm not — again, you're not going to see me with a [picket sign] outside the arena, saying, 'Stop the fight, stop the fight.' But it's just the world we live in today. And a long time ago, I made the decision, probably cost me a lot of money, to stay true to my passion for the sport and move away from that kind of thing. And I just it just doesn't sit right with me.
"Again, like I get it. I wish everybody the best of luck. But I'm allowed to say, 'I don't really want to see it, I don't want to see Mike Tyson in that fight,' but a lot of people will see it and I'm sure it will do great business, and I wish everybody the best of luck."
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