As Mike Tyson’s return to boxing and his fight with Jake Paul creeps closer, his decision to fight the 27-year-old continues to raise eyebrows.
And defeat on November 15 would be a catastrophic blow. Especially when it comes to his legacy.
Nobody really wants to see this fight. It is, to put it bluntly, a battle between old vs young. Paul, consequently, is the favourite to reign supreme.
There was once a time when Tyson wasn’t interested in fighting it out against the 27-year-old. Speaking in 2022, he said: “My family loves Jake Paul, I would never, I would never fight him.
Mike Tyson has risked it all by U-turning on Jake Paul ahead of their fightReuters
“Everyone in my family love this little white motherf****r…
“Let him has his reign, let him have his time.
“I don’t want to fight him man. I fight real fighters.
“I fight fighters that hurt big strong scary men, they’re the ones that I fight.”
But money, of course, talks. Tyson insists he’s doing the fight because he’s addicted to risk but a huge $20million paycheque is also a factor. Why wouldn’t it be?
Fans are dreaming of Tyson rolling back the years.
He was formidable during his prime, a force of nature that dominated the sport as he wrote his name into the stuff of legend.
However, losing to Paul would change some of the narrative. With younger fans not around to witness his best years in boxing, he’d be remembered as the man who failed to end his nemesis’ reign.
READ MORE: Mike Tyson makes feelings clear on dying in the ring ahead of Jake Paul fight
Paul is a Marmite figure in the sport – and has been ever since first fighting back in 2020.
It would be wrong to underestimate him, however. He has won 10 of his 11 bouts, with a defeat to Tommy Fury last year the only blot on his record.
Paul is seen within the boxing world as a villain. He’s no longer the clean-cut youngster that soared to stardom on YouTube and Disney.
Victory would mean little. You cannot enhance your reputation by duelling a veteran at the age of 27.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Boxing news: Mike Tyson previously said he’d never fight Jake Paul
GETTY
But it would be a hammer blow for Tyson.
The fight will be a professional one, rather than an exhibition. Rules have been altered to give him a fighting chance, with two-minute rounds instead of three and heavier gloves, too.
Yet that would make a defeat even more catastrophic. By changing the rules, there’s more pressure on Tyson to deliver than ever before.
In his last fight with Roy Jones Jr, four years ago, he failed to impress. It was a sad sight to see him looking to sluggish.
Boxing news: Mike Tyson will face Jake Paul on November 15
GETTY
Fast-forward to now and Tyson seems to have rediscovered some of his speed, if training footage is anything to go by.
But it’s still tough to gleam how he’ll perform on the day. 30 second clips are a different kettle of fish to the main event.
Tyson once said he’d never fight Paul, only to perform a U-turn. Whether he lives to regret that remains to be seen.