Already at the age of 58, Mike Tyson is promising to put on his gloves for another fight – this time against the much younger Jake Paul. The announcement back in time has sent shockwaves throughout the world of combat sports, with much of the attention directed at the format of the fight – whether it will be a full-on competitive match or an exhibition, the type of gloves, as well as the length of the rounds.
Many commentators have also raised health concerns about the potential damage Iron Mike could suffer in the ring against a talented 27-year-old cruiserweight with heavy hands. Mike Tyson, however, has not been the person to back down from a challenge both inside and outside the ring. Tyson’s response, as expected, was equally brutal. “I’m 58 and what?” – was Tyson’s rhetorical question to Reuters, reminding his critics that he garners billions of views when speaking to someone about fighting – a level of star expert his modern-day critics could only dream of when they were the boxers.
Yet, Tyson’s fight against Jake Paul is no ordinary fight, but rather an event that will take place on July 20 in the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas, with full backing from streaming giant Netflix. It is important to note the significance of Tyson’s comeback to boxing, which he made by fighting Roy Jones Jr. in 2020. Dubbed as a mere exhibition or entertainment ploy, Tyson’s return to the ring was a major commercial success. At the same time, Jake Paul’s bouts are quite successful, as he has built a 9-1 record since turning pro in 2020. Tyson’s choice to fight Paul is not by accident, and Tyson himself underlines that fact. “Why do you think he wants to fight me and not anybody else?” Tyson said in his interview, underlining the commercial implications of fighting Tyson.
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