JAKE PAUL vs.

MIKE TYSON

Introduction

“You heard it right mother*******, I am fighting Mike Tyson, Bi***.” Those were the exact
words of famous YouTuber, and 10-bout boxer, Jake Paul, with a replica of THE Mike
Tyson’s signature flame tattoo beside his eye. Since then, the rest of the build up to this
match has been a frenzy! From insane training footage, to even crazier intentional threats,
the matchup between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson has been getting much more hyped by the
minute! Even Netflix knows the gravity of this one, and quickly got involved in the fun!
With an imminent return for a legend of the sport, and a chance for Jake Paul to “make
history,” here is everything that has led to the well-anticipated fight until this point.

Body

Scheduled for the 20th of July 2024, at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington,
Texas. YouTube star, Jake Paul is set to touch gloves with former heavyweight champion
and boxing icon, Mike Tyson. Sounds like an ordinary matchup, right? Well, I might have
missed out the part where both fighters have an age gap of 30 years, with one being out of
the pro game since 2005, and the other having only participated in 10 fights in his career.
Talk about controversy.
All of the drama started when Netflix introduced the idea of streaming their first-ever
combat sport, with Jake Paul as the star. Jake however was not interested in being the main
attraction, and went against the odds with one of the most unexpected choices of modern
time. Despite having a rematch with Tommy Fury, to whom he has only lost to, or a full
influencer fight with KSI on his table, the Problem Child decided to wake a sleeping giant, by
calling out Mike Tyson as his preferred opponent. And Mike agreed. Yeah, that is the most
ridiculous part of the story until now. Netflix, which is the major streaming platform involved,
will be in charge of the fight’s promotion, alongside Jake Paul’s company, Most Valuable
Promotions (MVP).
There have been numerous speculations on what rules will infused in the fight. Some even
claimed it was going to be a 2v1 match up, with Jake’s brother, Logan, fighting by his brother’s side
like it is some gladiator franchise. As things stand however, the only confirmed regulations are
whether the fighters will be allowed to wear headgears, after Paul’s business partner, Nakisa
Bidarian, publicly dismissed Derek Chisora’s claim of both fighters wearing “protective
headgear and 18lbs gloves.” According to reports, both fighters would like to have a
professional bout, but that is up to the decision of the Texas Commission.
There are many talking points to pick out of this, starting with the significant disparities
between the timelines of both these fighters.

Mike Tyson is undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of all time. During his prime, Tyson
was a beast. He holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world
heavyweight titles; first heavyweight boxer to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles
simultaneously; and an undisputed heavyweight champion. I mean, this man has been a hall of
famer for over a decade!
Now at 57, and potentially 58 at the scheduled time of his fight with Paul, Mike is obviously
past his prime. His last professional fight was in 2005 against Kevin McBride, where he lost
in the sixth round via corner retirement. He however featured in an exhibition bout on the
28th of November 2020, against Roy Jones Jr, a match that ended in an unofficial split draw.
On the other hand, that same night was Jake Paul’s second career fight, where he knocked
out former basketballer, Nate Robinson, in an undercard bout on that same fight night.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate
Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to
face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious
fighters and biggest icons,” said Paul.

Jake Paul, who is currently 27 years old, featured last in TKO victory over Ryan Bourland on
March 2, 2024, which extended his win streak to three, and another plus to his impressive 9-
1 record. His only loss came against Tommy Fury on February 26, 2023, per split decision.
While Jake Paul is taller than Tyson, standing at 6’1 with a reach of 76”, he still be looking to
get some bulk before the 20th of July, to match Tyson’s heavyweight status.

Mike’s health has also become an empathic talking point for fans. After a training footage of
Mike hitting a bag was released, numerous reactions followed, as his fitness and wellbeing
was seriously questioned. UFC legend, Chael Sonnen, went as far as accusing Tyson of
splashing himself with water to make it look like sweat. Stephen Hughes, a senior lecturer in
medicine highlighted potential dangers for Mike, including subdural hematoma-a condition
where brain veins rupture, which can lead to confusion, loss of consciousness, and even
death. Mike’s history of alcoholism increases the posed risks, and one footage even showed
him walking with the aid of a stick. Nevertheless, Mike’s trainer, Rafael Cordeiro, went on
the MMA Hour to debunk the heightened health concerns, claiming the Iron “knows what
to do.”
"I believe we don’t have to be concerned about it. We’re talking about a two-time world
champion. The guy didn’t have 20 fights in two years, he knows how to fight. He’s fought
against the best guys in the world. When he steps inside the ring, he knows what to do. It’s
not something new for Mike, and this fight is no different. He works hard every single day
to go in there and try to knock Jake out from the beginning to the end. He’s going to prove
that in July.”
The fight purse has also sparked quite some fuss around the fight’s buildup. During a
podcast, UFC legend and close friend to Tyson, Henry Cejudo, revealed that the veteran is
set to make around $20 million from the fight with Paul, describing it as a “pay day for big
Uncle Mike.” As much as this is a big earn for Mike Tyson, a lot shouts about his legacy
being bought has been going round. Let’s be fair, who won’t dust his gloves for $20 million
in one night??

With the scheduled fight night being about three months away, there is still so much time
for the whole trajectory of the buildup to change. Most fans however have their odds in
favour of the younger Jake Paul. Logically, Jake will fresher, and obviously much more
athletic in the ring come July 20th. But Iron Mike’s experience cannot be overlooked. We’ve
seen him work wonders back in the day, and would certainly have a couple of old tricks up
his sleeve. Former world champion, Amir Khan, have made their predictions in favour of
Mike, throwing in a possibility of a knockout;
"Is it just hype with Mike and Jake posting it at the same? This is unreal and I hope that
Mike doesn’t end up hurting him because at the end of the day, I like Jake, but Mike is not a
person you want to mess with or do an exhibition with, especially when you’re a lot
smaller and lighter."
On a recent podcast of Joe Rogan’s podcast, he expressed his absolute belief in a Mike Tyson
victory, claiming that Mike hasn’t changed, and can still “f**k you up!”

Will it be a glorious return for the baddest man on the planet or a historical victory for Jake
Paul? Keep following us on (name of channel) for more updates till July. Thanks for
watching, and see you next time!