Anthony Joshua has predicted Jake Paul will beat Mike Tyson - because of the huge age gap.
Boxing legend 'Iron Mike' is back in the ring on July 20 when he faces social media star Paul in one of this year's biggest and most controversial fights. Tyson has admitted the fight will be sanctioned as an exhibition but dismissed claims that he and Paul will be wearing headgear and 18-ounce gloves.
Former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua thinks Paul, who is 30 years younger than Tyson, will win the fight because of the massive age difference. "He’s [Mike Tyson] older now. I pray that he comes out healthy. I think Jake Paul because of youth - that’s the only thing," Joshua said of the fight whilst appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show.
Joshua has turned over a new leaf in his boxing career having won four consecutive fights and he may have never taken up a career in the ring if it wasn't for Tyson. 'AJ' was caught up in the wrong crowd in his early years, much like Tyson, but was determined to use boxing to turn his life around.
"He was a troublesome kid up until the age of 13 and due to his environment and the way they managed to build his mindset. It wasn't just his physicality, it was the way they changed his mindset and he managed to become heavyweight champion of the world. It showed if you apply yourself to something you can do anything," Joshua told iD Boxing.
"The way they moulded this kid, he wasn't a child prodigy boxer, he was never this young kid who was pencilled in to become heavyweight champion of the world. He was pencilled on to be going to jail or end up dead, but he ended up changing his narrative due to determination, and obviously meeting the right people, and he became the youngest champion ever."
Watch The Jonathan Ross Show on Saturday at 9.35pm on ITV1 and ITVX.