Highlights

• Famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach once described Mike Tyson's initial reaction to seeing Jake Paul box.
• The legendary fighter wasn't impressed and soon asked to be taken to another part of the gym.
• Paul issued a furious denial of Roach's claims after hearing the comments.

Jake Paul will meet Mike Tyson on the 20th of July in one of the most controversial boxing matches in recent memory. Critics of the bout have made much of the fact that there will be a three-decade age gap between the two participants. However, the 57-year-old Tyson doesn't seem at all concerned about facing the social media superstar - and that could be because of the time he saw Paul spar in Los Angeles back in 2022.

The heavyweight icon paid a visit to Freddie Roach’s famous Wild Card gym two years ago and happened to stop by on the same day 'The Problem Child' was training for his upcoming boxing match against UFC legend Anderson Silva. Roach would later be asked what Tyson's thoughts were on Paul's boxing ability in an interview with Fight Hype. It turned out 'Iron Mike' was far from impressed.

Mike Tyson's thoughts on Jake Paul's sparring

Heavyweight legend wasn't impressed

Tyson has shared the ring with some of the greatest fighters in heavyweight history including Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. However, having watched some of the best to ever do it up close, Tyson allegedly made it clear he didn't see any potential in Paul - who has repeatedly claimed he has the skills to be world champion.

"Tyson looked at him and left. He saw 30 seconds of him sparring and said, 'Freddie, can we go down and see the pictures?'. He knows that's where the good pictures are. He wasn't as interested as I was."

When asked about Paul’s fighting ability, Roach himself tried to be kind, but obviously wasn't blown away be what he had seen. "The kid’s okay, a club fighter… I don’t know him personally and I’ve never really met him. He was in my gym and wondered if they could use the ring and I said go ahead."

Jake Paul Denies Ever Boxing at the Wild Card Gym

Novice fighter furiously denied Roach's claims

After hearing Tyson's damning assessment of his ring work, Paul immediately went on the defensive. Speaking to talkSPORT, he even went as far as to say that he had never set foot in a ring at Roach's gym.

"First and foremost, I saw these things that Freddie Roach was saying - that I was like sparring at his gym. First of all, I've never even trained at Wild Card gym, Freddie is a f****** idiot, he's a hater. Mike Tyson has never watched me spar, Mike Tyson has never been in the gym at the same time as me sparring. I went to Wild Card like once to talk to somebody for a meeting and for my brother's press conference there. But Mike Tyson wasn't anywhere in the vicinity, so it's just Freddie Roach spreading rumours. Especially because me and Mike are friends man."

An extremely defensive stance from Paul to Roach's comments. Given the nature of the social media star's notoriety within boxing, it's hard to imagine that Roach would misidentify him. It's also hard to imagine Tyson and Paul continuing the 'friendship' that 'The Problem Child' insists they have in the lead up to this summer's fight, especially after Paul recently threatened to bite his opponent's ear off during the fight.

Tyson will have the opportunity to judge Paul's boxing skills up close in just a few short months. Their bout might not be an all-time classic, but is sure to create headlines around the world.