When you put Mike Tyson in the ring, expect savagery. A career of one-punch knockouts and brutal hammering takedowns earned Tyson the moniker Iron Mike, and Jake Paul is about to get a first-hand lesson in a longstanding reputation.
Paul is no slouch in the ring, but his career is a blip when compared to The Baddest Man on the Planet. The YouTuber turned pariah turned boxer has enjoyed a solid climb in the world of boxing — starting in 2020 with his debut pro match and maintaining a solid streak up to his 2023 loss to Tommy Fury — but he’s an infant where Tyson is concerned. The 57-year-old is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, while Paul “the Problem Child” is considered an interesting, but still amateurish, up-and-comer.
There are plenty of details that help even things out between these vastly unmatched boxers, but — without blindfolding him and tying an arm and a half behind his back — there’s no real way to put them on par. Tyson is simply too experienced, too talented, and too brutal to expect someone like Paul to match up. That is, unless a series of absurd rules accompany the match to ensure that Paul can hold a candle to one of boxing’s greatest for at least a few minutes in the ring.
Paul’s been trying to convince legitimate boxers to polish up his reputation for years now, but it took until 2024 for Tyson to finally agree. He signed onto a Netflix deal to see the match come to fruition, but in the process seemingly agreed to a truly wild lineup of rules, all of which seem tailor-made to even up the competition.
Keeping in mind that Tyson is pushing 60 and Paul is still comfortably in his 20s, it seems a bit absurd to think that the former YouTuber needs quite as many protections as he’s getting, but a quick review of the massive divide between these two pro athlete’s skill levels makes Paul’s fear a bit more understandable. Even Tyson’s trainer looks scared.
A list of supposed rules started circulating alongside hype for the match, and they may confirm the younger Paul brother’s anxieties — but that’s assuming they’re real. At least a few of the rumored requirements for the fight appear to be accurate, and just one is more than enough to heavily weigh the fight in Paul’s direction. It’s still unclear if that will be enough to compete with Iron Mike, but it will certainly even the odds.
Contained on the list of wild rules currently spreading across TikTok are details that include the allowance of headgear for Paul, the ability for Paul to “tag team” Tyson with his brother Logan — and by “tag team,” I mean call his brother into the ring so that two 20-somethings can hammer a 57-year-old at the same time — and Paul’s allowance to dodge both the weigh-in and drug testing, even as Tyson is forced to comply.
At least one of these rules appears to be inaccurate, as Paul has denied the claims about headgear and some have clarified that it may be Tyson, rather than Paul, who was initially encouraged to wear protective gear. It seems the seasoned boxer decided against medical advice to go into the ring sans helmet, but physicians have noted that, at his age, a solid punch to the head holds far higher risk than it used to.
At least a few of the other rules do appear to be true, however, which could see a heavier-than-approved Paul, hyped up on performance-enhancing drugs, face off against his opponent in a 2 v 1 match with Logan at his side. That’s hugely weighted against Tyson, but – despite Paul’s bold claims – it still might not be enough to secure him a victory.
Paul is extremely confident in his ability to win this match and alleges that the tag-team rule, just like the headgear rule, is inaccurate, but that strips two of the only remaining marks in his favor away. Confidence is well and good, but this is Mike Tyson we’re talking about, facing up against a former Disney channel actor.
It’s vital to note here that the fight’s delivery via Netflix all but guarantees that this will count as an exhibition match, rather than a regular pro fight. That will guarantee some extra entertainment, as both fighters work to stir up drama and keep viewers engaged, but it eliminates any possibility of this serving as a legitimate test of either fighter’s abilities. It’s more theater than sport, at that point, and anyone looking to see Paul properly humbled by one of boxing’s greatest is likely to be disappointed.
