Dana White expresses her concerns about Mike Tyson in the fight with Jake Paul

UFC CEO Dana White has been good friends with Mike Tyson long time and is concerned about his health ahead of his return to the boxing ring.

On Friday, Tyson (50-6) will step through the ropes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to take on a YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in an eight-round professional bout that serves as the main event of the first live sporting event to be streamed on Netflix.

The matchup has drawn criticism due to the age difference, as Tyson, who is 58, will face a much younger Paul (10-1), who is 27. When asked about the fight, White did not speak condescendingly about the fight. and instead raised concerns about Tyson’s health.

“I won’t say anything bad about this fight because I love Mike Tyson,” White continued “The Jim Rome Show.” “The only thing I hope is that Mike comes out of this fight healthy.

“…I just hope he does. I’m 58 years old, I mean I’m 55, and obviously I’ve never been the level of athlete that Mike Tyson is, but 27 versus 58? It’s hard to exercise consistently at that age, just for health purposes, without getting injured. To train for something like that? It’s just – I love Mike. I hope he makes a lot of money on Friday, and I hope he comes out healthy.”

Tyson last saw action four years ago in an exhibition boxing fight against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. It was a fight where both fighters were clearly not trying to hurt each other. that resulted in a draw. Tyson’s last professional fight was in June 2005 against Kevin McBride. Tyson lost the fight by TKO in the sixth round.

In the late 1980s, Tyson became a legendary force in the boxing world as a WBC and IBF heavyweight champion. He was a crossover superstar who created viral moments long before the existence of social media. However, the days of Tyson’s best years in the ring are far behind him, and White understands why it would be difficult to turn down a lucrative offer to fight Paul.

“When you’ve accomplished what Mike Tyson accomplished, and you’re offered that kind of money, it’s hard not to do it,” White said. “It’s about Mike having money problems or something like that. Mike is doing fine. Mike is doing a good job, but when you see that kind of money waving in front of you – I’ve told this story, it’s been told a million times. When Mike went to fight before, I said, ‘Mike, don’t do this.’ So I put it on Shark Week. I get him a deal to do Shark Week. He says, ‘Oh, you care about me? I’ve been fighting since I was 12, but you want to throw me into the water among the sharks? You’re an idiot.’ And I can’t disagree with him. He’s absolutely right.

“… At the end of the day, it’s not our business, it’s Mike Tyson’s business. He’s a grown man, he does what he wants to do, and I love him and I just want the best for him.”

For more information about the card, visit MMA Junkie’s events hub Paul vs. Tyson.