Katie Taylor would "hate for a legend" like Mike Tyson to lose against Jake Paul, as the 58-year-old prepares to end his near-two-decade exodus from the ring on Friday.
Iron Mike will face The Problem Child at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, in one of the most fascinating matchups of the year, pitting the former against a man thirty years his junior.
Save a handful of exhibition bouts, Tyson has not truly fought since he lost to journeyman Kevin McBride in 2005, with questions over whether he should be back on the canvas.
But Taylor, who will co-main this weekend's event in a rematch with Amanda Serrano, believes the heavyweight can defeat his younger foe when the two of them meet.
“I think so," she told The Guardian. "I’ve seen clips of him training recently and he looks very good on the pads. But Jake is a fit man, a young man and a good athlete as well.
"He seems to have an OK punch and he’s starting to prove himself as a fighter. I think if you’re a boxing person, it really matters that [Tyson] does well and hopefully wins."
Taylor, a two-division undisputed champion, admits she is thrilled to share a bill with the star, but added that she would be sad to see him lose against social media star Paul.
"Mike Tyson is an absolute legend in sport," she added. "He was once known as the baddest man on the planet. He’s super exciting to watch, a real iconic boxer.
"I have so much respect for him for what he did in the sport and I’d hate for a legend like him to lose a matchup like this."
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