Mike Tyson’s former sparring partner brands Jake Paul fight ‘glorified sparring session’ as he shares Roy Jones Jr theory

Mike Tyson's former sparring partner, Joe Egan, anticipates that 'Iron Mike' will pull his punches against Jake Paul.

The pair are set to square off on November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in what is expected to be one of the most viewed sports events of the year.

It was initially thought that the pair would be competing in an exhibition bout due to the staggering 31-year age gap between the pair.

However, it has since been sanctioned as a professional heavyweight contest under the auspices of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR).

As a result, knockouts are allowed, although Egan - who spent two years living and training alongside a young Tyson at Cus D'Amato's famous Catskills Boxing Gym in New York - isn't expecting it to come to that.

Instead, the retired heavyweight thinks the fight will end up being a 'glorified sparring session', much like Tyson's last outing against Roy Jones Jr.

"Jake Paul has probably boxed as Mike Tyson on Nintendo and Gameboy a million times, and now he's getting to share the ring with one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time," Egan told marvelbet369.com.

"For me, it's going to be a glorified sparring session. When Mike boxed Roy Jones Jr he hit Roy with a body shot and sunk him - and Mike knew he could hurt Roy Jones.

"Anybody that Mike hits is going to hurt, probably knockout as well but he carried Roy Jones.

"I never believed Mike Tyson could carry anybody because when I sparred him at Catskill, every punch he threw was with bad intentions. He was a vicious, ferocious, savage heavyweight.

"To see him mellow with age is wonderful and to see what he did with Roy Jones is incredible.

"Jake Paul was on that undercard and when he saw Mike pull his punches they probably felt confident.

"You've got to admire him for getting in the ring with Mike Tyson but I don't think Mike will go full force on him.

"I don't believe that because if Mike went full force on Jake Paul, he could seriously hurt him, never mind about the age.

"Mike will have lost a lot of speed with age but he won't have lost his power and George Foreman showed that when he knocked out Michael Moorer in the tenth round at 45 years of age.

"As soon as Michael Moorer slowed down, George knocked him out.

"The power is always going to be there but the speed will diminish."

Egan then delivered a stern warning to the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

"I did a video for Jake," he added. "And I said 'Listen Jake enjoy the occasion, you've got millions of YouTube fans that will watch you get into the ring with one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time but don't try to turn it on because if you try to turn it on, Mike Tyson will turn you off."

Paul vs Tyson may be a pro boxing bout but it will be contested under a modified rule set.

The fight will consist of eight two-minute rounds rather than the usual three-minute rounds, while both boxers will wear 14-ounce gloves, which are considerably heavier than the standard 10-ounce gloves.