Things are heating up between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson after the former declared that one of the fighters “has to die”, but UFC legend Chael Sonnen has laughed off the ‘Problem Child”s comments.

In one of the most highly-anticipated boxing events of the year, Tyson is coming out of retirement to face the YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, who is 31 years his junior and has just 10 professional fights to his name.

Jake Paul mocks Mike Tyson before press conferences, is he taking the fight as a joke?

Their fight takes place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 20 with tickets likely to sell out quickly, and the early exchanges between the two have been somewhat normal, with a mixture of respect and trash talk.

But Paul’s declaration that he would “end” Tyson and that “one of us has to die” has prompted ridicule from Sonnen, who clearly wasn’t a fan of his attempts to rile up the former heavyweight world champion, 58.

“This was a response in lieu of the information that this [Tyson-Paul][ will be sanctioned by the Commission. And Jake said ‘Well, one of us is going to have to die’,” Sonnen said. “Why does one of you have to die? I don’t want one of you to die.”

Why Jake Paul wouldn’t win if Mike Tyson died

The much-awaited boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul has received official sanctioning from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, and will be held under the Marquee of Queensberry rules, complete with three ringside judges and eight two-minute rounds.

Speaking about the California native’s statement, Sonnen poked holes in Paul’s reasoning in a video on his official YouTube channel as the former middleweight champion explained why he wouldn’t win in the event that Tyson were to die.

“By the way, if it was unsanctioned, if it [the fight] was an exhibition where you guys could come up with the rules, maybe you could put in a death clause,” he added.

“Having a Commission is the exact opposite, nobody’s allowed to die. You cannot kill him… I don’t think they declare you the winner, I think they just cancel the whole thing.”