Four-weight world champion has 'love and respect' for what Jake Paul is doing for boxing

Don't count Roy Jones Jr among Jake Paul's detractors.

Paul has taken the boxing world by storm after rising to prominence as a social media star, with the 28-year-old having headlined some of the biggest fight nights in recent memory.

Among those is last year's blockbuster fight against Mike Tyson, which drew a worldwide audience to see the retired heavyweight legend in action one more time.

• Read more | British heavyweight announces shock retirement after just one fight

Paul returns to the ring on June 28, when he'll take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a cruiserweight bout that will be broadcast live on DAZN PPV. The upcoming event features a stacked undercard that includes a unified cruiserweight title fight between Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez and Yuniel Dorticos.

Jones, who held world championships in four weight classes throughout the 1990s and 2000s, believes Paul is a positive influence on the sport and lauds the Most Valuable Promotions boss for respecting boxing's legends.

“I love what Jake Paul has done for female and male boxing, the attention he has brought, the way that he just sent Mike Tyson out with a 20 million dollar payday at 50 something years old," Jones said while speaking to Prime Casino, who offer the latest Online Slots.

“It's almost impossible and unbelievable what he's doing, so you have to love and respect everything about that. 

“I think he did Mike Tyson a favour and he's doing the same thing for female boxing. Look at the people that are benefiting from what he's doing.  Who else you know at 50 something years old is making that kind of money to perform?

“Look what Mike did for the sport of boxing. Doesn't Mike deserve it for what Mike did in the sport of boxing? Jake showed gratitude and appreciation for Mike and for what Mike did.”

Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will be streamed exclusively on DAZN PPV, Saturday, June 28.