Jake Paul will face Mike Tyson at Texas’ AT&T Stadium on July 20, which has generated much controversy due to their disparate ages of over 30 years. Paul has come under criticism for accepting this fight which would mark his biggest to date; but perhaps 27-year-old Paul is simply trying to prove that he belongs in professional boxing’s elite level competition.
Young fighter Lamont McGregor has shown great promise, typically lasting three rounds and knocking out numerous notable opponents with stunning knockouts. Yet there are concerns he is unfit to compete against an established heavyweight like Tyson as an opponent, yet they continue to impress in fight after fight.
On paper, Tyson should easily defeat Paul in this fight. His size, height and reach make him far superior to Paul; plus his vast amount of experience as both an amateur and pro boxer has given him no trouble in front of large audiences. But keep in mind that Tyson last officially competed back in 2005; since that time away from fighting has caused some rustiness in him as well as Paul.
One important point to keep in mind when making this decision is that if the fight is determined to be an exhibition as opposed to professional, its ruleset may differ significantly. According to USA Today, headguards and gloves weighing 16 ounces instead of the traditional 10 ounces used in professional fights could be worn instead, and rounds could also be shorter; but ultimately this decision will be decided upon by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
If it is an exhibition bout, expect six or seven rounds to ensue – similar to what Tyson experienced against Roy Jones Jr in their previous exhibition fight – though if he isn’t fully back into boxing then there could be unpleasant surprises in store for him.
No matter the format – exhibition or professional – one thing is for certain: this fight will draw massive crowds and generate massive payouts for both fighters. Should former champion win, their fans would see him as even greater hero because he came back out from retirement at such an advanced age to teach upstart fighter a lesson.