Boxing legend Lennox Lewis has told Jake Paul he is lucky he will not be facing Mike Tyson in a ‘real’ fight.

YouTube sensation Paul will take on former heavyweight world champion Tyson in Texas on July 20 in what the latter claims will be an exhibition fight. No rules have been announced but Tyson’s last exhibition bout, against Roy Jones Jr in 2020, saw no winner announced.

Tyson has insisted the fight will be different from traditional exhibitions but the result will nevertheless not go on the rivals’ records. And Lewis, who stopped Tyson in their 2002 clash, believes Paul should be thankful the fight will not be sanctioned.

Asked by TMZ if he was looking forward to the event, Lewis said: “Absolutely, it’s going to be a great fight and I’m looking forward to it.” And asked if he was disappointed the fight will not be a professional one, he added: “No, no. I would feel really bad for Jake Paul,” Lewis said. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

Lewis is the latest boxing figure to throw his weight behind the fight with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury also showing their support. Joshua said on The Jonathan Ross Show: “I personally think it’s really good. I think the boxing hardcores, they don’t like it because they think ‘Why are they disrespecting our sport?’ But I think that person brings all these people into boxing which benefits everyone else. Everyone viewing helps.”

And Fury told The Stomping Ground : “I think it’s fantastic for boxing. You’ve got a legend in Mike Tyson, you’ve got a YouTube boxer who’s come into the game and blew it up and has got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes – good, bad or indifferent. Some people love [Paul], some people hate him.

“So, I think it’s a really good spectacle for boxing, brings a lot of people to the game. Listen, who am I to say Mike Tyson shouldn’t be boxing, or Jake Paul shouldn’t be boxing? Good luck to them, they’re both gonna make what I call ‘a s*** ton of money’ out of it, so isn’t that what it’s about?

“I’ve been to that stadium, when Billy Joe [Saunders] fought Canelo [Alvarez]. It’s a great stadium, it’ll be fantastic for the guys. Both are getting paid, both are gonna put on a show. I just don’t know what’s not to like.

“OK, [one] guy is 57 years old, but he’s a former undisputed world heavyweight king.” As for Paul, Fury said: “Listen, from being a kid on the Disney channel to fighting Mike Tyson, who wouldn’t want to do that? You’ve got to admire them both.”