Michael Bisping criticized the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight as a farcical cash grab, highlighting the significant age difference and questioning Paul’s legitimacy as a boxer while expressing disappointment in the promotional efforts.
Michael Bisping didn’t pull any punches when it comes to Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson.
On November 15, Paul and Tyson face off in an eight-round boxing match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. The bout has drawn a lot of criticism given the nearly 30-year age gap between the two and the fact it was already postponed once due to a Tyson medical episode. But that hasn’t slowed the promotion.
Over the weekend, the duo held a press conference in New York City, which UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping reacted to.
“Let’s see what this press conference delivers,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “We know the fight is a joke, to be honest, but let’s see what the press conference delivers. See if it can get us any more excited for this absolute shit show. This farce of a fight. I’m not very convinced it will.”
Unfortunately, the press conference didn’t seem to assuage any of Bisping’s issues. On the contrary, as Paul adopted a combative demeanor during the event, even telling the booing crowd “you’re just like Mike Tyson, you were good 20 years ago,” Bisping noted that was giving up the game.
“Jake, I hate to point out the obvious, that makes you look pathetic,” Bisping said. “You just admitted that you’re going up against an old man, who is a legend of course, but he’s not that guy anymore.
“Jake Paul, he’s a total — he’s just a tool bag. I’m not going to lower myself and swear. Look at him. It’s nice to see that he’s finally getting booed and the kind of response that he deserves.”
Of course, the reality is, this fight is not so much about competition as it is a business decision. The bout will be the first live combat sports event streamed on Netflix and figures to generate a massive amount of money for all parties involved.
Nonetheless, Paul repeatedly referenced the fight as a meaningful step in proving he’s a real boxer. Bisping takes umbrage with Paul insisting on marketing this as anything other than a cash grab.
“You are a joke,” Bisping said. “You are a disgrace to the combat world. You’re an imposter. You’re a wannabe. You’re a fake. Challenge yourself, you pathetic man, you pathetic individual.
Fighting is about challenging yourself. Granted, business. Killing it in that regard. But don’t give me this fighter bullshit. That’s what gets on my nerves.
“The man’s almost 60,” Bisping said. “He’s almost a pensioner… Mike Tyson was a terrifying individual. To go up against that man, in his prime, Jesus Christ, he was one of the scariest individuals that we’ve ever seen throughout any combat sport.
The man was a straight killer. Was. Again, the key word.
“I’m 45. When I was 25, I was a different person. I was a maniac. I was out of control and I would have fought anybody.
And if I was Jake Paul right now, at 26 years old, and you said to me, ‘We’re going to give you someone that’s 58 years old,’ I’d have been like, ‘Oh my god.’
You’re going to pay me to do this? You’re going to pay me $40 million, whatever the price tag is, to go out there and beat up a guy like that? Oh my god.’
I would have said, ‘Stick it up your ass.’ Give me someone who is my age.’ Because that is not competition and that is what a true fighter would say and should say.”