Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson has revealed the one puncher he would likely avoid fighting in a hypothetical pairing — and it may shock some fans to learn the veteran bruiser is fearful of a pairing with light heavyweight gold holder, David Benavidez.
Tyson, a former world heavyweight boxing champion, is slated to snap his lengthy retirement from combat sports later this year in Arlington, Texas — taking on polarizing YouTuber and social influencer, Jake Paul in a highly-scrutinized pairing in a professional setting.
In his most recent venture to the ring, albeit in an exhibition pairing, Brooklyn veteran, Tyson fought against fellow undisputed former world champion, Roy Jones Jr. to a split draw in the pairs WBC scored pairing back in 2020.
Mike Tyson heaps praise on unbeaten light heavyweight superstar, David Benavidez
And remaining confident of handing Paul just his second professional loss since his controversial move to boxing — Tyson has claimed a potential pairing with unbeaten Arizonian puncher, Benavidez would likely keep him up at night if they hypothetically had to share the squared circle.
“He’s (David Benavidez) so underrated but so over-polarized here,” Mike Tyson told ESNEWS during a recent interview. “Listen, I’d be afraid to fight him too if I was in that division [light heavyweight]. No one even has a chance against him, and I’m talking facts.”
Boasting a stunning unbeaten record of 29-0, Benavidez most recently captured the vacant WBC light heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk back in June in ‘Sin City’.
Also previously holding undisputed super middleweight spoils before moving to light heavyweight and striking gold, Benavidez has also chalked up other notable wins over the likes of Ronald Gavril, J’Leon Love, Anthony Dirrell, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, and Demetrius Andrade.