Mike Tyson makes his highly anticipated return to the ring Friday night in Texas, where he will take on YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
If this fight had been sanctioned two decades ago, ignoring for a moment that Paul, 27, would still have been a baby, there would be little doubt as to who would be the victor.
However, Tyson, the youngest heavyweight champion in history, is quickly approaching his sixth decade, while Paul has spent the last five years working with some of the sport’s best trainers in his quest to be taken seriously. as a boxer.
This strange set of circumstances makes the contest much more difficult to call and has divided opinion among the star names in combat sports.
The hit Netflix event at AT&T Stadium in Texas is expected to be one of the most-watched fights of this century, perhaps in part because of the absurdity or the appeal of seeing Iron Mike lace up the gloves and throw himself into a professional fight. for the first time since 2005.
Ahead of the duel, players like Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have gone on record with their predictions for the contest.
The eyes of the world are on Arlington, Texas, where Mike Tyson will return to the ring.
The former heavyweight champion will face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paui on Friday night.
ROY JONES
“Mike Tyson can beat whoever he wants whenever he wants, but he can do it whenever he wants because he can do it.” He told Betway. ‘Jake Paul, on the other hand, needs to make some adjustments and learn to do things he hasn’t done before.
“I think Mike will give him a lesson and teach him on the fly and teach him about boxing because of what he knows, because Mike knows all the ins and outs of boxing. I think that being said, Mike could and will win the fight early. If “Jake can stay long enough to tire Mike out, because he’s a 58-year-old man, that’s possible, and if he can tire him out, then he has a great chance.”
Tyson returned to the ring in 2020 for an exhibition fight against former multi-time world champion Roy Jones Jr.
PIMBLETT RICE
“I’ve talked a lot about Jake Paul because he never used to be able to throw a punch, but now that he’s trained for a few years, he can throw a punch.” He told OLBG. ‘His boxing actually doesn’t look that bad. But a few years ago, when it started and people were telling me, “You fight Jake Paul,” I was like, “Boy, that’s fucking shit.” But now that he has trained for so long and worked so hard, we have to give him his due.
‘It doesn’t look so bad. Like he surpassed Mike Perry even though he weighed like 40 pounds. But he’s Tyson, whether he’s 58 or not, he’s Mike Tyson. I don’t even know (what happens), that’s like a weird show fight, I wouldn’t even make a prediction on that. I hope Mike Tyson knocks him out. As we just said, he is 58 years old and he also hasn’t fought in about 15 years.
Anyway, he was still an absolute unit when I met him, and he wasn’t in shape then. It’s still absolute brick shit. It’s just built like that. He’s fit now, but he shouldn’t be fighting at 58, it’s just ridiculous. It’s just stupid. He definitely doesn’t need it either. “They have money not to fight, so I don’t understand why they do it.”
UFC star Paddy Pimblett has praised Jake Paul for his progression in the sport but still hopes Tyson knocks out the 27-year-old.
LENNOX LEWIS
“Mike Tyson is going to win.” he told FOX 29 in Philadelphia. ‘He’s not that old. Don’t take it too lightly. We are one year apart. “You can fight someone like that and do well, because the person you’re fighting isn’t a real fighter and there are hundreds of things you’ve forgotten he’s learning.”
Lennox Lewis won a brutal fight against Tyson in Tennessee in 2002 after an eighth-round knockout.
TYSON’S FURY
“If Mike Tyson punches someone, I don’t care if they’re 90 years old, he’ll knock them out, right?” he told MMA Hour. ‘He is Iron Mike Tyson, the baddest man on the planet.
“Jake Paul has a lot of experience now and has had a lot of fights, but obviously I have to back Mike Tyson for the knockout as he always has my back.”
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is named after the legendary American boxer
AMIR KHAN
“You know what, the thing is there is a lot of weight advantage and to be honest with you, Mike is a friend of mine and I FaceTime him and we talk, but when you have a 65-year-old man fighting “A young fighter and in his prime moment he feels sorry, but he can’t feel too sorry for Mike Tyson because he took that opportunity,” he told Prime Casino.
“It’s difficult, but I wouldn’t want to jump into the ring.” At the end of the day, it’s Mike’s decision to get in the ring and fight. If he gets beat, you want to protect your friend and jump in and say, “I’m going to beat him up, so if he beats Mike Tyson, yeah, I’d definitely like to give him a little slap and settle it.”
Amir Khan is worried about veteran Tyson taking on Paul, who is 31 years his junior.
ANTHOY JOSHUA
“He (Mike Tyson) is older now,” he said on the Jonathan Ross show. ‘I pray that he comes out healthy. “I think Jake Paul (wins) because of his youth, that’s the only thing.”
Anthony Joshua also believes that age will play a key role in the outcome of the clash.
Paul has a professional boxing record of 10-1, with his only loss coming against Tommy Fury in February 2023.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán hopes the fight will be a spectacle, believing the pair have the opportunity to become role models for children.
MAURICIO SULAIMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE WBC
‘I don’t know. “Mike is a legend and an incredible legend who has so many wonderful things and is outstanding.” He told OLBG. ‘He had a very ugly end to his boxing career, but he was out of shape and in a completely troubled stage of his life.
‘When the world needed entertainment during the pandemic, he stood up and fought Roy Jones Jr. He looked sensational and did precisely what we all expected: be an exhibition.
‘He didn’t try to hurt Roy; It was just a good display of skills. This time with Jake Paul it’s different. He is a young, strong and promising fighter with a huge following on social media and if it is an exhibition then we have to support it, it is good for boxing. So let’s support it and make it a great event for kids to look up to Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.”
JORGE MASVIDAL
“No matter how much of an athlete he was, how bad he was in his prime, this is past his prime,” he told talkSPORT. ‘So I don’t know how much of Tyson is left. Could Jake beat him? Yes. But is that Mike Tyson? No.
UFC star Jorge Masvidal is skeptical that Tyson’s fighting prospects are several years past his prime.
Former heavyweight boxer Shannon Briggs insists Paul is a “tough kid” due to the time he spent training his daring compatriot.
SHANNON BRIGGS
“I want to see a great fight, but at the same time, I don’t want Jake to get hurt.” He said through the Brownsville Gym and Boxing Academy. But I used to train Jake and, I tell you, he’s a tough kid.
“For me to see him get in the ring with Mike Tyson is absolutely incredible. I was just training a kid, and for him to be doing this, respect for him. Everyone wants Mike to win, but I just want Mike and Jake to win a lot of money, go to the after-party together, and have a good time.
‘At the end of the day, it’s about feeding their families. It’s a phenomenal event, because we’re in a moment where this is going to be on Netflix.
‘Damn it, everyone is going to see it, everywhere! If you have a phone and a Wi-Fi signal, whether you’re in Japan, Switzerland, Africa or even Antarctica, you can watch the fight!’