Could Jake Paul actually fight Mike Tyson?

YouTube’s Jake Paul — yep, the younger brother of the still-infamous Logan Paul — is making a name for himself as a boxer.

Much to the disappointment of exasperated viewers who’ve been waiting years for his name to disappear from the mainstream, Paul is on a streak that’s starting to look genuinely impressive. The 25-year-old has been toppling the competition for several years now, edging his way up through the boxing ranks. These days, he’s facing off against genuine pros like Hasim Rahman Jr., who Paul is set to fight on Aug. 8, 2022.

As Paul’s rise continues, people are starting to take notice. What began as an assumed attention-seeking stunt is starting to look like a burgeoning career, and even seasoned pros are tuning in to take Paul’s measure. This is prompting questions about who Paul might fight next, with known names like Mike Tyson and Saul Alvarez at the top of many boxing fans’ lists. But is there truly a possibility that Paul could fight someone like Tyson, or are these potentials nothing but pipe dreams?

Could Jake Paul and Mike Tyson face off?

Paul is currently slated to face off against Hasim Rahman Jr. in his sixth pro boxing match. Nicknamed “The Problem Child,” Paul has yet to lose a single bout. He’s swept the competition in each of his five bouts so far, and hopes to do the same against Rahman Jr. If he emerges from the match victorious, Paul has his sights set on Tyson next.

Thus far, Paul’s matches have largely been against amateur or inexperienced fighters. His bout with Rahman Jr. will mark his first match against another established pro, and Rahman Jr. boasts a far more lengthy resume than Paul. He’s emerged victorious in 12 bouts overall, with six Knock Out victories under his belt. This is a far cry from Paul’s impressive, but minimal, five matches in total.

Rahman Jr. presents the biggest challenge by far that Paul has faced. If he does manage to take down the heavyweight pro, however, he’ll have proven himself as a far more impressive up-and-comer than many were willing to admit. For his part, Tyson has long been a vocal supporter of both Paul brothers for awhile now, and has already voiced his interest in fighting one of them.

This presents a rather wild possibility: that Jake Paul and the Mike Tyson could actually face off at some point. Tyson’s interest in a fight — which he voiced during a June 16 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel — does come with a caveat, however. It has to be this year. And by “this year,” Tyson means 2022. So if Paul doesn’t cinch the deal with Tyson’s team before we ring in 2023, it seems the fight could be an impossibility.

The mere possibility that these two massive names could come together is staggering for fans. As Tyson noted in his Kimmel appearance, Paul is bringing a massive horde of new fans into the boxing world. All by itself, that’s pretty impressive. But Tyson is an established icon in the boxing world — does Paul really think he stands a chance only six bouts in?

No matter what, a Paul vs. Tyson fight would be very much worth watching. It presents a few hugely tantalizing possibilities, and all of them are entirely worthwhile. Either it’s an incredible fight and we get to see a seasoned pro face off against a talented newcomer, or it’s not. In the other instance, we either see Mike Tyson lose to a YouTube bro — which would surely rock the world of boxing — or we get to see him trounce Paul’s privileged backside all over the ring.

Sounds like great television.