Roy Jones Jr. Delivers Blunt Message for Jake Paul After Mike Tyson’s Warning Over Future Fight
To mention Jake Paul and Roy Jones Jr. in the same breath should be a felony in boxing circles. Remember when Roy Jones Jr. was steamrolling the competition with a 34-fight win streak and tasted his first career loss against Montell Griffin after an extremely controversial disqualification, only for Roy to come back five months later and knock him in the very first round? That’s not just a comeback. That’s a statement! Fast forward to today, and we’ve got Jake Paul, who traded YouTube pranks for punching bags, turning the sweet science into something that looks more like a WWE promo. Ring IQ? Optional. Showmanship? Mandatory.
In case it slipped under your radar, these polar opposites actually shared a stage back in 2020. That was when Roy Jones Jr. stepped into the ring with ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson for an exhibition bout, while down on the undercard, Jake Paul fought Nate Robinson for the latter’s pro debut. Fast-forward to now, and the boxing world’s done a full 360. Mike Tyson, who went toe-to-toe with Paul just last year, tipped his hat to the YouTuber-turned-boxer, admitting The Problem Child can pack a punch. But Roy Jones Jr.? He’s not drinking the Kool-Aid.
Jones suspected the 58-year-old may have pulled his punches. And in a recent interview, Roy made it crystal clear what he really thinks of Jake Paul. Just a few days ago, the boxing legend sat down with BRAD LEA TV for a candid interview. When asked whether today’s boxing landscape feels like a new game altogether, the 66-10 icon didn’t hesitate. “Yes, new game,” Jones said. “Now, it’s about the fame game. The fame, notoriety, and money game. Because of social media, the more famous you can get, the more notoriety you can get, the more money you can make.” But that’s not all.
In his view, boxing is no longer about being the best in the ring, but about who can generate the most buzz outside it. “It’s not about being the best. They don’t care who the best is no more,” he lamented. Instead, “It’s about who can make the most noise, who can get the most followers, who can make the most money.”
And who better to help exemplify his point than Jake Paul? The 56-year-old pointed out, “Look at Jake Paul. He’s making more money than almost all of them.” Further adding, “If it weren’t for Turki [Alalshikh], he’d be making more money than all the fighters,” crediting the Saudi advisor for upping fighter pay across the board. “If it wasn’t for Turki [Alalshikh] stepping in and paying them, he’d be making more money than everybody because of his notoriety and fame.”
You see, the exact fame game nearly earned Jake Paul a bout with Canelo Alvarez, too. But thanks to HE Turki Alalshikh, Canelo took a different route by signing a staggering four-fight deal worth $400 million. That move left Jake Paul to fight Julio César Chávez Jr. on June 28th at Honda Center in Anaheim, this time streamed on DAZN pay-per-view, not Netflix.
Anyway, while Roy Jones Jr. believes Jake Paul represents the newer, more fame and money-centered shift in boxing, Mike Tyson actually shared some advice for the multiple world champion in case of a potential future fight with Jake Paul.
Jake Paul is a tough cookie
Last year, after Mike Tyson suffered a rough loss to Jake Paul, he appeared on the debut episode of Covino & Rich on Fox Sports Radio. A few minutes into the show, host Steve Covino asked: “Speaking of rumors, there was a rumor today that one of your buddies that you fought not too long ago, Roy Jones Jr., said that he wants to maybe test it out with Jake Paul.”
At 56, Jones is just a couple of years younger than Mike Tyson, which makes the idea of stepping into the ring with a 28-year-old all the more daring. So, Tyson’s response? “He’s fast enough, though. Yeah, Roy, if Roy’s training, Roy could still do a lot of stuff. He has to be training, though. You have to be training.” But considering Jones Jr.’s last pro bout, where he lost by majority decision to former UFC champion Anthony Pettis, it’s fair to wonder if stepping in with Paul is the best move for the boxing veteran.
Still, Jones isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. Speaking to TMZ after Jake Paul’s fight with Tyson in November, he made his intentions clear. “I wouldn’t mind just having a shot to see; could I get to his chin to test his chin… If he takes the shot, then cool, or if he can catch me before I get to his chin, cool. But I would definitely like a shot.”
If that wasn’t enough, in another interview with BoxingScene, Jones brushed off concerns about the age gap, saying, “He will probably have to take me out because I’m coming to knock him out. I’m going to get him, or he’s going to get me.” So with that said, can Roy Jones Jr. still go toe-to-toe with Jake Paul? Or is Mike Tyson right to urge caution? What do you think?
