Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul: A circus act or boxing’s new era?

In the early hours of Saturday morning across Europe, an incredibly bizarre but highly anticipated boxing match between the legendary fighter Mike Tyson and online influencer-turned pugilist Jake Paul is taking place in Texas.

A 58-year-old veteran takes on a polarising 27-year-old newcomer. It’s a classic boxing story line – will the old king prove he still has it, or will the loud-mouthed newbie take the crown?

The fight will be the former undisputed heavyweight champion’s first professional bout in almost 20 years, while Paul, who rose to fame as a YouTube vlogger and Disney channel star, is looking to further cement his place in the sport’s history.

To some, this fight is a complete and utter circus act – a disgrace to the sport of boxing, a huge risk to Tyson’s health, and a glaring example of the sport’s shift towards pantomime-like entertainment and cash grabs. To others, it’s the most electrifying, unmissable showdown of the year.

Regardless of your standpoint, the fight has sparked undeniable interest, so much so that Netflix will stream it live to its 280 million global subscribers, making it the platform’s biggest live sports event to date.

The Contenders

The return of Tyson, notorious for once biting off a part of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a 1997 scrap, is certainly fascinating. With a 50-6 record and 44 knockouts to his name, in his prime he was considered one of the most fearsome fighters in the world. But his last professional fight was in 2005, and now, knocking on the door of 60-years-old, he steps back into the ring with a legacy that could easily be tarnished.

Then there’s the larger-than-life Jake Paul. Since 2020, the 27-year-old social media star has reinvented himself from a goofy YouTube Disney kid to a (still goofy) professional boxer, with dreams of one day being a world champion. Despite heavy criticism from boxing purists, Paul’s achievements in such a short space of time deserve recognition. He currently holds a 10-1 professional record, with seven knockouts, having only lost to Tommy Fury.

“I’m the new kid on the block, the disrupter, loud mouth, polarising figure,” Paul has said in the buildup to the fight. “And I’ve built my career as the heel. Naturally people want to root against me, and that’s great for the sport of boxing.”

Yet, Paul’s critics remain unconvinced on his actual boxing skill. So far, the bulk of his wins have come against aging MMA fighters (such as Ben Askren and Anderson Silva) and fellow newcomer YouTubers. And tonight’s fight, considering Tyson’s age, is unlikely to silence these accusations.

Paul has faced persistent questions about why he would fight someone so much older, regardless of Tyson’s pedigree. His answers have been consistent.

“I say talk to Mike and tell Mike that,” Paul said. “He’s the one that wanted it to be a pro fight and me, as a young person in this sport, is not going to (pass) up the opportunity to fight the GOAT of boxing. It’s like Ja Morant turning down a 1-v-1 against LeBron. It’s not going to happen.”

The fight for credibility

In many ways, Tyson vs. Paul symbolises the current state of boxing: a sport once revered for its gladiatorial nature, now increasingly driven by entertainment, celebrity status and spectacle. Some even say it’s a spent force taking wild swings not knowing when the game’s up.

The trend of “influencer boxing” began gaining momentum in 2017, driven by YouTubers like KSI, who initially fought Joe Weller before calling out Jake and Logan Paul. The format has proven to be a huge success, with sold-out arenas and huge pay-per-view buy sales.

It raises the question: is this boxing naturally evolving to meet the demands of a new generation, or is it killing the authenticity and bite that once made it a renowned and redoubtable sport?

For boxing purists however there is a saving grace on the card: the co-main event of the evening will see Ireland’s Katie Taylor defending her undisputed light-welterweight crown in a rematch against Amanda Serrano.

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Paul, who since his venture into boxing has actively advocated for equal pay and visibility for female fighters, said he wanted to give the women a spotlight after their slugfest at sold-out Madison Square Garden in 2022. It was the first time women headlined a boxing event at the famous venue.

Regardless of whether you view Paul as a boxing fraud or believe tonight’s event is a sinister cash grab, one thing is guaranteed: there will be drama. Will you be watching?