Picture the scene from a few years ago: Mike Tyson, once the terror of the heavyweight division, found Jake Paul’s boxing display so unbearable that he bailed and ran off on a sparring session faster than a first-round knockout.
Tyson disappeared quicker than a hiccup, not even breaking a sweat. And who was the lucky audience to this farce? Freddie Roach, the coaching legend with more stories than a library, got a front-row ticket to Tyson’s impromptu vanishing act.
Now, fast forward to the present, and we’ve got what’s being billed as the clash of the century. Tyson and Paul are set to duke it out in a “historic” event, with Netflix deciding to dip its toes into the boxing world. The AT&T Stadium in Texas is where this circus will unfold on July 20. Paul, in a stroke of genius, roped in his Most Valuable Promotions to partner with Netflix and conjure up this spectacle.
Kudos to Netflix for not overselling this circus by calling it a “fight.” They opted for “boxing event” instead, which is kind of like calling a kiddie pool an Olympic-sized swimming pool – close, but no cigar.
Despite Tyson being on the wrong side of 50, the man’s still pulling crowds. Remember his “fight” with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020? Past their prime, sure, but they still had folks tuning in by the millions. And now, with Paul in the mix, we’re supposedly on the brink of shattering records. Because, you know, everyone’s dying to see a YouTube “star” (quit making stupid people famous!) take on a boxing legend.
Critics are wagging their fingers, accusing Paul, the guy we all remember from… the Disney Channel, of backtracking on his vow to take on tougher opponents. After his hiccup against Tommy Fury, Paul seemed to find his groove, stacking wins against Nate Diaz, Andre August, and Ryan Bourland. Not exactly household names, but hey, they’re professionals.
Paul is now stepping into the ring with Tyson, turning his viral knockout of Nate Robinson on Tyson’s undercard into a stepping stone for what he calls “the biggest fight in history.” Because, naturally, less than four years of boxing makes you ready to face a legend, right?
And let’s not forget about Tyson, who is back and apparently taking things super seriously. Just when you thought it was safe to assume the boxing world had moved on, here comes Mike, flexing those muscles and throwing punches like he’s still in his prime:
New Mike Tyson footage has dropped pic.twitter.com/6AtdoLcmdE
— Dan Canobbio (@DanCanobbio) March 10, 2024
Then there’s this training video that dropped a few weeks ago and everyone loses their minds. Tyson’s throwing hooks with crazy hand speed like he’s trying to swat a fly with a sledgehammer, and suddenly, it’s as if he’s the favorite to win. Sure, because training videos always tell the whole story. Remember that time you watched a cooking tutorial and then nailed that soufflé on the first try? No, you don’t.
This event is about as authentic as a three-dollar bill. It’s designed for likes, shares, and the endless churn of social media – not for the annals of boxing greatness. But hey, who am I to rain on this parade of absurdity? After all, boxing’s seen its fair share of sideshows, from Ali tangling with a wrestler to Foreman’s one-man buffet in the ring.
Will I be watching? Of course!
Wouldn’t this scenario be great? Imagine Tyson, the seasoned ring warrior, literally mopping the floor with Paul, as if he’s cleaning up after a party that got out of hand. Tyson, with all his years of boxing mastery, treating the ring as his own personal cleanup duty, with Paul unwittingly playing the role of the spill that needs wiping up. It seems there’s a craving out there for a reality check, and who better to deliver it than the man who’s been dishing out knockouts before our dear Jake even knew what boxing was? Sure, it’s not like we’re asking for much—just a tiny bit of poetic justice in the ring, a reminder of the good old days when boxing titles were earned, not just another notch on a social media profile.
Let’s face it, the idea of Tyson, with all those years of sweat, blood, and titles, stepping into the ring to potentially turn the tide against the influencer era of boxing is like a breath of fresh air. It’s not just a fight; it’s a nod to the times when boxers were boxers, and YouTubers stuck to vlogging about their breakfast.
In this corner, we have Tyson, the legend whose fists have more stories to tell than most people’s entire lives. And in the other, Jake Paul, the guy who thinks a few wins in the ring suddenly erase all those cringe-worthy vlogs. It’s more than a fight; it’s a lesson waiting to happen, a chance to show that in the world of boxing, respect is earned between the ropes, not in the comment section of a video.
So, here’s to hoping the fight lives up to the hype, with Tyson turning the ring into a classroom and Paul learning a thing or two about what it really means to be a boxer. After all, if anyone can put an end to this circus, it’s Mike Tyson, right?
