Boxing legend Butterbean has made bold claims that a “scam” is in play surrounding Jake Paul’s much-talked-about fight with Mike Tyson.

The controversial bout, which raised eyebrows due to the significant three-decade age difference, was initially scheduled for June 20. However, Tyson, now 58, was forced to withdraw due to health concerns.

In Tyson’s absence, Paul, 27, faced off against Mike Perry, 32, whom he defeated after three knockdowns. Following the victory, Paul confirmed that his rescheduled fight with Tyson would take place on November 15. However, KO icon Butterbean, whose real name is Eric Esch, insists that the fight between Paul and Tyson will never happen.

Butterbean argued, “Him and Tyson are never gonna fight.

That has been a scam from the very beginning just to boost Jake’s name – and it has. This guy, everybody’s talking about him, but he’s never gonna fight Tyson. They were never planning on fighting each other, because a promoter would never let him fight anyone else in between a fight. Never – not that big a fight. It’s been a scam from the beginning.”

Known for his incredible knockout power, Butterbean weighed as much as 36 stone during the peak of his career and only went past the fourth round once, in a bout against the legendary Larry Holmes. Although Butterbean’s last boxing match was in 2013, he has hinted at a comeback in recent years, having shed an astonishing 14 stone.

Butterbean has expressed interest in fighting Paul and has even issued a challenge for a £1.5 million winner-takes-all match. He called Paul out on TikTok, saying, “Hey Jake Paul, would you fight me for $2 million [£1.5 million]? Winner takes all.”

At 57 years old, Butterbean has over 100 fights under his belt across boxing, kickboxing, and MMA, and has even dabbled in professional wrestling. His impressive record of 91 boxing bouts stands in stark contrast to Paul’s 11 professional fights. Despite his limited experience, Paul has made a name for himself in the boxing world, with his only loss coming in 2023 against Tommy Fury, the younger brother of Tyson Fury, in a bout held in Saudi Arabia. Since that defeat, Paul has won four consecutive fights, further solidifying his status as a social media sensation in the boxing world.