• Mike Tyson, 58, faces Jake Paul in what many perceive to be an exhibition match, with Tyson’s legendary intensity now mellowed but still commanding.
• Paul, with a 10-1 record, remains a controversial figure in boxing, recently challenging Canelo Álvarez after the Tyson fight.
Friday night is sure to be a painful watch, yet I know you’ll all be tuning in, just like me, to witness the legendary Mike Tyson step into the ring with Jake Paul—the YouTuber-turned-boxer who’s thirty years his junior.
Tyson is 58 now, silver at the edges and inevitably much slower than he once was. But even the face-off itself was unlike anything we’ve seen before. His trademark fight talk, once brimming with raw intensity, now lacks the same punch—more theatre than thunder.
But there’s no animosity between these two men, and it shows. There’s just green bills over here. And a mountain of them.
At least Jake Paul won’t have to worry about losing an ear, getting his thigh gnawed on, having his arm broken off or hearing threats about his family’s babies becoming a snack.
We must, however, put some respect on the man’s name. This is, after all, Iron Mike we are talking about—known for his aggressive knockout power punches and for being the youngest heavyweight champion at age twenty.
This is the same Tyson who won and lost world titles, shaping some of boxing’s most thrilling, harrowing, and controversial moments. On Friday, more than 60,000 spectators at AT&T Stadium in Arlington will witness one of the final moments of Mike Tyson’s remarkable career.
Like his inspiration Muhammad Ali, Tyson converted to Islam in 1992 while serving a prison sentence at the Indiana Youth Centre in Plainfield. His conversion was a gradual journey that began before his incarceration and was solidified during his time in prison. Tyson performed hajj in 2010 and was pictured near the ka’ba in 2022.
Jake Paul is a social media sensation with a lot of potential who has come leaps and bounds. He’s a genuine talent, but the hype is far ahead of the reality. Interestingly, in the documentary leading up to the fight, Paul remarked that it wouldn’t matter if he won—people would still refuse to acknowledge his worth in the Boxing world.
With 10 victories out of 11 bouts, Paul has carved out an impressive and profitable career. Despite often frustrating traditionalists, his 2023 fight with the undefeated Tommy Fury was a thrilling matchup between two rising talents. Though Paul managed to knock Fury down, he ultimately lost by a close decision.
Paul has recently challenged Canelo Álvarez, proposing a future fight—on the condition that he first defeats Mike Tyson.
It’s certainly another bold proposition, particularly as Paul is unranked, without a title. Moreover, with Jake outweighing him by 33 pounds, Canelo would have to make a substantial leap in weight to entertain the match.
It has been reported that Friday’s fight will be limited to eight rounds, each lasting two minutes instead of the usual three, with 14oz gloves rather than the regulation 10oz.
