Friendship is at the heart of the fight between 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and much younger YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Friction helped build hype for the bout, which tests how to bring boxing to the masses, the first-ever martial arts to be offered on streaming platform Netflix rather than pay-per-view or traditional cable.
“I think they’re Mike Tyson’s biggest fans,” Paul said, trying to explain the boos he received when the two appeared together to hype up events in recent months.
“And I’m the new kid on the block, the disruptor, the loudmouth, the polarizing guy,” Paul said. “And I’ve made a career out of being a heel. Naturally, people want to root for me, and that’s great for the sport of boxing.”
Naturally, people want to support me and that’s great for the sport of boxing.
jake paul
Tyson’s first sanctioned professional fight in nearly 20 years is scheduled for Friday night at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. With a crowd of at least 60,000 expected, Netflix is making the fight available to its more than 280 million subscribers worldwide at no additional cost.
Paul, 27, is relatively new to the sport and is a former social media influencer, with a record of 10 wins and 1 loss, with seven knockouts, mostly against mixed martial artists and journeyman boxers. are.
When Tyson retired in 2005 after losing to Kevin McBride, he had a record of 50-6 with 44 knockouts and said he had nothing left to give to the sport. His last exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. was without fans during the pandemic in 2020.
The fight, originally scheduled for July 20, was postponed after Tyson fell ill on the plane and had to be treated for a stomach ulcer.
Tyson said in a documentary chronicling his preparation for the fight that he lost 26 pounds during his recovery.
Promoter Nakisa Bidalian, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Paul, said Tyson underwent medical tests several weeks ago. Vidalian dodged a question about how concerned he was about Tyson’s health once he got in the ring.
“Both men are nervous,” Vidalian said. “The reality is that Jake has never been hit in the jaw by someone like Mike Tyson. And Mike hasn’t fought someone like Jake in a long time. That’s the reason.” Interesting. “
Paul said he had a vision for this fight about two years ago and shared it with Tyson because he thought the Hall of Famer would understand and be interested. It took that long for the match to come together.
Tyson appeared upset at both hype events, which drew fans in the Dallas area. First in the weeks before the originally scheduled game, and then again in a press conference the night before the game.
He was more introspective in small meetings with reporters, suggesting he is not the foul-mouthed, scowling fighter he was in his prime.
“I’ve been through so many ups and downs since my last fight with Kevin McBride,” Tyson said. “I’ve been in rehab. I’ve been in prison, locked up. Never in a million years did I think I’d end up doing something like this.”
According to reports, Paul will receive $40 million for the fight, a figure he mentioned at a separate press conference in New York in August.
Tyson, who served two prison terms for rape and assault convictions in the 1990s and was declared bankrupt 21 years ago, will receive $20 million. Tyson said he’s not fighting for money.
“That old Mike Tyson… It’s not that he doesn’t have a purpose in my life anymore. He just doesn’t exist. I’m having a good time in life. I don’t have much time. No,” Tyson said. Now that I’m gone, I’m having the time of my life. ”
The 57-year-old was recently on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles when he suffered an mid-air emergency. His representative commented to NBC News on Monday, saying Mike is “doing well.”
Some states will not sanction this match. Texas agreed to a fight that would last eight rounds instead of 10 or 12, two minutes instead of three, and use heavier gloves designed to reduce the power of the punches.
Paul has faced persistent questions about why he would fight an opponent so older, regardless of Tyson’s pedigree. His answers were consistent.
“Talk to Mike and tell him that,” Paul said. “He was the one who wanted a professional fight, and as a young man in this sport, I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to fight against the best in boxing. Like Ja Morant turned down a one-on-one with LeBron. That’s not going to happen.”
The card features a high-profile championship fight with the co-main event of Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano.
Paul said he wants to shine a spotlight on women after his sold-out slugfest at Madison Square Garden in 2022. It was the first time a woman headlined a boxing event at this famous venue.
Taylor won by split decision, which many had doubts about. Vidalian and Paul said the rematch for the undisputed super welterweight title would be the most lucrative women’s sporting event in history.
“A lot of people said the real main event was Taylor Serrano,” Vidalian said. “It’s okay if you feel that way. Jake said he was more excited about that fight than his own. But we wanted as many people to see that fight as possible. Honestly. Paul Tyson has a bigger audience.”
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