Jake Paul, the internet sensation turned professional boxer, will face the legendary former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium on November 15.
The much-anticipated bout, which will be streamed exclusively on Netflix, marks yet another significant moment in boxing and entertainment history, bringing these vastly different worlds together more than we’ve ever seen before.
While many would expect ‘Iron Mike’ to be the favourite despite a two-decade absence from competitive action in the ring, and being twice his opponent’s age, it’s actually ‘The Problem Child’ who leads the way in the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul betting market.
Although this is technically a professional fight by law, not everyone will take the bout seriously, much like Tyson’s 2020 exhibition with Roy Jones Jr. However, a victory for Paul would be monumental in an era of boxing where matchups like this are starting to become increasingly common and dominating the headlines.
That said, whether you like this concept or despise it, let’s take a look at Paul’s boxing journey to this stage and how he finds himself on the verge of trading blows with one of the most dangerous heavyweights of all time.
How it started
‘YouTube Boxing’ as it has become popularly known, caught on thanks to Paul’s brother Logan’s blockbuster fights with then-rival and now business partner KSI in 2018 and 2019.
The younger of the two Paul siblings ventured into combat sports in 2018 too, fighting KSI’s brother Deji in a white-collar match.
However, Paul’s first professional bout saw him take on another fellow internet personality, Ali Loui Al-Fakhri (AnEsonGib), on January 30, 2022, in Miami.
With a standout undercard that included multiple championship bouts, the fight attracted millions of views, and Paul surprised many with his notable power—stopping AnEson Gib in the first round.
It was hard to take anything of note away from the bout, though, given the standard of Paul’s opponent, and the same can be said for his second professional fight, as he faced former NBA star Nate Robinson and defeated the ex-Point Guard inside two rounds.
UFC opponents
While not boxers by trade, Paul’s fights against a string of former UFC champions were seen as a significant step up from his first two bouts against AnEson Gib and Nate Robinson.
First up was Ben Askren, who boasted a mixed martial arts (MMA) record of 19-2-1. However, he was better known for his wrestling ability than his power.
Paul ended the bout at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in just under two minutes, knocking Askren down with a big right hand and the referee deemed him unable to continue.
A double-header with Tyron Woodley, a former UFC Welterweight Champion, followed. Their first encounter ended in a controversial split-decision victory for Paul in his hometown of Cleveland.
Woodley had the chance to rectify the defeat when drafted in to place the injured Tommy Fury a few months later but was knocked out by Paul in the sixth round in Tampa, Florida.
UFC legend Anderson Silva was next in the Problem Child’s firing line. The Brazilian is widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time but lost to Paul via unanimous decision.
Tommy Fury
A fight with Tommy Fury was a long time in the making by the time the pair finally met in Saudi Arabia in February 2023.
The pair had traded verbal abuse at every opportunity for a number of years, with Paul even leaking the birth of Fury’s newborn child in the buildup to their bout.
Coming from a fighting family, the pressure was on Fury to deliver a win — amplified by his former heavyweight champion brother Tyson claiming he would disown him if he lost and his dad John stating that he would retire him.
Lucky those who bet on boxing had Fury’s back, and he ultimately won via a split-decision victory after demonstrating a better boxing IQ throughout the eight rounds despite being knocked down in the last.
Rebuilding process
Paul has rebuilt his reputation with four successive victories since his defeat to Fury, most notably beating UFC veteran Nate Diaz via unanimous decision.
His last three fights have been against little-known professional boxers Andre August and Ryan Bourland, as well as another ex-UFC fighter Mike Perry, and didn’t attract as much interest.
But a bout with ‘Iron Mike’ Tyson throws him back into the limelight and it could prove to be one of the most watched boxing events of all time as it’s free to Netflix subscribers.
