Katie Taylor worries about Mike Tyson in Jake Paul fight: 'I would hate for Mike to lose to someone like that'

Katie Taylor is worried about Mike Tyson.

While many have criticized the lack of sporting merit in the November 15 clash between Tyson and Jake Paul, no such condemnation was voiced at that evening's main event, where Taylor puts her undisputed super lightweight title on the line with a 138-pound rematch Catchweight against Amanda Serrano live on Netflix.

Echoing the thoughts of many given the three-decade age gap between 58-year-old Tyson and 27-year-old Paul, Taylor admitted she is worried about the former heavyweight champion ahead of fight night.

“I'm obviously worried about Mike Tyson just because he's a legend and I don't want him to get hurt or anything,” Taylor said on Uncrowned's “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I think Jake Paul is a great athlete,” and he’s also improving as a fighter. He’s a young, fresh guy and I just have so much respect for Mike Tyson that I would honestly hate to see Mike lose to someone like that.”

Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs), 38, is widely considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. She defeated Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs) via split decision in their epic first fight of 2022, a fight that was widely hailed as one of the best of the year regardless of gender. Taylor vs. Serrano I was also the first women's boxing match ever to be headlined at the fabled Madison Square Garden in New York.

Taylor first met Tyson in May during a promotional stop for the inaugural edition of the event, and the Irish boxing icon couldn't hide her excitement when she came face to face with the Hall of Famer.

“I think Mike Tyson is everyone's icon in this sport, right?” Taylor said.

“Every single person in the boxing world has watched him fight. “He is known as the baddest man in the world and is simply loved by the boxing world,” Taylor said. “Just to get the opportunity to sit next to him and talk to him, he has so much knowledge about the sport too. “He's a real historian. I just love the fact that he is so popular in this sport. I never in a million years thought I would be on the same card as Mike Tyson, so this is a real pinch-me moment to be honest.”

Outside the ring, the Olympic gold medalist was notoriously shy and recalled receiving advice from Tyson when it came to attending press conferences, an aspect of her job that she doesn't particularly enjoy.

“I spoke to him for about 45 minutes before the press conference in Dallas,” Taylor said. “It was incredible, he's such a gentleman and he's just a great boxing man. “It was just great to have the opportunity to sit down and talk to him. He was so great to me.

“I just asked him what he thought of the Jake Paul fight, what he thought of his own fight. I let him know that I'm not a big fan of press conferences and then he told me, “That's where all the money is made.” I also talked to him about some of his old fights, it was just a great moment for me. “

A feared heavyweight champion in his heyday in the late 1980s and 1990s, Tyson is considered one of the fiercest knockout artists the sweet science has ever seen. But he hasn't played professionally since a loss to Kevin McBride in 2005, and his withdrawal from the original date against Paul on July 20 due to a stomach ulcer only led to further criticism of the booking.

Taylor is one of those worried about the former champion. But while she is firmly in Tyson's corner ahead of the November 15 fight, she praised Paul for the influence he has had on the boxing world.

“Jake Paul is a great businessman and it’s amazing what he’s done for the sport,” Taylor said. “He’s one of the biggest names in boxing – no one would have thought that.”