- Is Paul vs. Tyson a genuine athletic contest or just an exhibition cash grab?
- Tyson is well past his prime; this matchup is more about entertainment than fair competition.
- This Netflix fight is poised to deliver huge payouts.
Ask any boxing purist and they’ll tell you that they can’t call the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. Either Paul’s youth will prove too much for an old champion, or Tyson’s experience and reputation will derail any challenge mounted by the former YouTube star. But ask the cynics, and they’re in agreement: this exhibition match is pure spectacle.
So how have we got here? Why is trust in boxing stagnating against the backdrop of this weekend’s blockbuster bout?
Is Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Rigged?
Rigged results in boxing aren’t an entirely new concept. The 2016 Olympics came under further scrutiny after an independent investigation found evidence of widespread corruption and manipulation – that referees and judges collaborated to manipulate the outcomes of matches for financial gain.
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Mike Tyson even admitted that some of his previous professional fights were likely rigged in his favour to suit the prevailing narrative in the 1990s.
Boxing’s tarnished reputation has been compounded by the growing influence of promoters and television networks in the modern sport, who see the spectacle as an opportunity to generate huge profits. Big money doesn’t necessarily mean the fight is scripted, but it’s clear that trust needs to be earned back by organisations who are promoting this weekend’s mismatch-up.
“They chalk up what I’ve done to fights being rigged,” Paul said. “Still when he (Tyson) posts on his Instagram looking like a killer, hitting the s**t out of the mits, the top five comments are ‘if Jake wins this fight it’s completely rigged’, and that used to bother me.”
“Because I was like ‘I work so hard can’t you f***ing people see’, but now I take it as a compliment because the human peon brain of the 99% can’t even comprehend how good I’ve gotten and what I’m accomplishing in this world.”
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: Boxing’s Biggest Mismatch
This weekend’s blockbuster boxing match-up with YouTuber turned professional fighter Jake Paul is arguably one of the biggest matches in recent memory, putting the young up-and-comer against one of the greatest heavyweight boxers the sport has ever seen.
At 58, Mike Tyson shouldn’t be anywhere near the professional boxing ring. It’s been 19 years since Tyson fought as a professional and has come out of retirement seemingly ready to take on his final opponent. He’s made it clear that he’s not in the game for the same reasons as when he was in his prime – it’s about money and spectacle now – and the chance to take on Jake Paul in this weekend’s exhibition is too good an opportunity to turn down.
Recent videos of the heavyweight’s training camp, whilst powerful and impressive, show a former professional whose physical condition may not be what it once was. Don’t get me wrong, Tyson will always remain a legendary figure in boxing. But the mismatch of these two fighters casts fresh doubt over the outcome, especially with prominent fighting figures calling out the legitimacy of the fight.
How Much Will Jake Paul and Mike Tyson Earn?
The payout for these two fighters, although not officially confirmed, will be huge. For big fights, the promoters negotiate a revenue-sharing deal with the fighters, where a substantial percentage of the PPV earnings go to the fighters. As this is the first-ever boxing bout streamed live on Netflix, the biggest streaming platform in the world, both Paul and Tyson will stand to secure their biggest paydays to date.
“I’m here to make $40 million and knock out a legend.”
Jake Paul
Paul is desperate to be taken seriously in the world of boxing; his reputation for being nothing more than an entertainer in the ring clearly irks him, even after 12 professional fights, recording just one loss.
By his own admission, “The Problem Child” is an entertainer; he’s made a living out of viral reactionary content, triggering people to comment and engage with him. He relishes the role of the antagonist and that’s certainly continued into his boxing career, but has been strategic in choosing his opponents, often selecting those past their peak or yet to make their debuts in the sport.
As we head into this weekend’s contest, set to take place at 3pm AEDT on Saturday 16 November, the 31-year age gap between the two competitors casts fresh doubts about whether this is a legitimate athletic contest or another case of exhibition boxing designed to draw attention.
Netflix has confirmed that Paul vs. Tyson is a professional fight with eight 2-minute rounds using 14-ounce gloves, and the final result will be added to both their official records.
“Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome,” Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian told Netflix. “Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 will both be contested with two-minute rounds, and each mega-fight will have its winner.”
Either way, it’s a lose-lose scenario for Jake Paul: he either beats up an old man or gets knocked out by one. This fight will not do anything for Paul’s ascendancy to the top of the sport, but it could diminish his reputation further, perpetuating this idea that he targets out-of-sorts boxers looking to capitalise on Paul’s inherent appeal.
It’s tough for fans to trust that this match will offer anything resembling the true test of skill and heart that boxing is supposed to embody, leaving many to wonder whether this fight is truly competitive or simply a carefully orchestrated cash grab. There’s only one way to find out.
