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Boxing

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: WBC president says safety should be highest priority

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: WBC president says safety should be highest priorityGetty Images

The rescheduled date for Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is expected to be announced later this week after the anticipated bout was postponed due to Tyson suffering an ulcer flare-up on a flight last month.

The duo were originally set to square off at AT&T Stadium on July 20, but the former world heavyweight champion will not be able to train fully for the next few weeks.

When they do eventually step into the ring, one high-ranking boxing executive hopes that the safety of both fighters will be taken into account.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, who praised both Paul and Tyson for what they've done for the sport of boxing so far, gave his take on the upcoming fight in an interview with Casino Reviews.

Sulaiman stressed that health and safety should always take precedence when planning fights, especially when one of the competitors is much older than the other.

"I’m a good friend of Mike Tyson but also a good friend of Jake Paul," he said. "Jake has done unbelievably positive work for boxing, bringing millions of eyeballs to the sport from his fanbase and also giving opportunities to many fighters to fight on his cards and it’s been a very positive result.

"Mike Tyson is a legend of the ring and he’s [nearly] 58 years old and safety will always be the top priority. It is a fight that does not have any WBC involvement. It is an eight-round fight with two minutes per round so it is a matter for the local commission of Texas to evaluate. Of course, we worry on every fight whether it’s a four-rounder with a beginner or it’s Mike Tyson at 58 fighting. We worry about safety.

"I believe Mike, as a legend will always have possibility, with that heavy punch. It depends on the condition and on his health. Jake Paul is a boxer and is just starting in the professional ranks to try to become a world champion. It’s a very interesting, complicated topic. There’s no real answer to it, I just pray and hope both fighters go back home with complete health."

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