Boxing legend Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul are set to face off today in a highly anticipated bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where nearly 70,000 spectators are expected to gather.
The fight, which is reportedly set to earn the two fighters a combined £50 million, marks Tyson’s return to the ring 19 years after his retirement and decades after his rise to dominance in the late 1980s.
Tyson, 58, will battle the 27-year-old Paul in an eight-round, two-minute-per-round match backed by Netflix. This clash was originally scheduled for July but was postponed after Tyson suffered a bleeding ulcer in May, which fueled criticism of the match as a risky venture for the aging heavyweight legend.
At Friday’s weigh-in, tensions flared when Tyson slapped Paul during their face-off. Paul had theatrically crawled across the floor before standing to meet Tyson’s gaze. The slap sparked a brief scuffle among security and team members.
“Talking’s over,” Tyson said as he exited the stage.
Paul, however, laughed off the altercation. “I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf,” he said, before issuing his prediction: “Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked out.”
Jake Paul said he’s now going to KILL Mike Tyson for slapping him in the face off 😳 pic.twitter.com/q48l5Q4iM0
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 15, 2024
Paul is set to earn around £31 million from the fight, while Tyson’s share is half that. Despite the lucrative payouts, concerns remain about the legitimacy and motivations behind the match-up. Tyson, whose last professional fight ended in a technical knockout loss to Kevin McBride in 2005, had previously said he would not disrespect the sport further.
“I am not going to disrespect the sport any more by losing to this calibre of fighter,” Tyson remarked after his retirement fight.
Paul, who lost to Briton Tommy Fury in 2020, has faced accusations of orchestrating predetermined outcomes in his bouts. Now, he faces Tyson, 31 years his senior, in what some consider a calculated move. Fans are eager to see whether Tyson’s performance will follow Paul’s playbook or break away from the narrative.
