Richard Steele, the Hall of Fame boxing referee, shared his concerns about the upcoming fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.
He emphasized the inherent dangers of officiating a Tyson match, stating, “With Mike Tyson, it’s extremely risky, even for the referee. You have to stay close enough to monitor the action, but also keep a safe distance to allow the fighters to do their thing.” Steele, who refereed six of Tyson’s bouts, noted the importance of being vigilant, as “one of Tyson’s punches could seriously injure his opponent, and he might not need to take any additional hits.”
As of now, it’s unclear who will take on the responsibility of officiating this high-stakes match.
Tela Mange, a spokesperson for the Texas state agency that oversees combat sports, mentioned last week that there were no updates regarding the referees or judges for the Tyson-Paul fight, which is set to take place on November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
It’s certain that Richard Steele, now 80, will not be the referee for the fight. He remarked, “No, man. I’ve had enough.”
However, he shared his insights on various issues, particularly expressing concern that the two-minute rounds could put Jake Paul at a disadvantage in the eight-round match.
Steele expressed doubt about Jake Paul’s ability to last the full distance against Mike Tyson, stating, “I don’t see him going that far with Tyson. Tyson is incredibly strong and a former champion; he knows how to fight. In two-minute rounds, he can really go all out.”
Additionally, Steele noted that the extra padding in the 14-ounce gloves being used—compared to the standard 10-ounce gloves—won’t offer Paul any advantage.
Steele remarked, “That’s still a small glove considering Mike Tyson’s power.”
He recalled a significant fight he officiated involving Tyson on October 23, 1999, when Tyson knocked down Orlin Norris just as the first round ended. Steele deducted two points from Tyson on the judges’ scorecards because of the incident. Norris claimed he injured his knee during the knockdown and was unable to continue, leading to the fight being stopped and declared a no contest.
Steele commented on Norris’s reaction, saying, “He didn’t want to continue. He just took a knee to get out of the fight.” He acknowledged that it was definitely a foul but noted, “I think the punch was already coming, and he couldn’t stop it.”
Reflecting on Tyson’s current training, Steele mentioned he recently watched footage of the 58-year-old hitting a heavy bag in preparation for his fight against the 27-year-old Paul. “He’s still dangerous,” Steele stated. “He has so much power… I just hope he doesn’t end up getting hurt or injuring the other guy.”
