On Friday night, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will enter the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Netflix will televise the bout, and millions will be watching. For me, though, it’s a sad day for the sport. As a boxing fan, I see it as a hyped event for Jake Paul.
Growing up, I had the privilege—let me repeat that bold privilege—of watching many of the greats step into the ring. Their names are synonymous with greatness!
Courtesy NBC News
Muhammad Ali, in my opinion and my memory, is simply the greatest fighter to ever strap on a pair of gloves. Ali had a personality larger than life; he was an Olympic Gold Medalist and the world’s heavyweight champion three times, and he was entertaining, confident, and backed up his trash talk every time he stepped in to face another boxer. His fight with Frazier, “The Thrilla in Manilla,” his poetic quotes, and his unorthodox style defined boxing and primarily my love of the sport.
“Iron” Mike Tyson, ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet,’ was precisely the champion that professional boxing needed. His speed and punching power were unlike any other boxer I had ever seen. Smokin’ Joe Frazier was tough, had a devasting left hook, and was the undisputed heavyweight champion from ’70-’73. He was also an Olympic Gold medalist and had epic fights with Ali and George Foreman. Joe Frazier lost to only two fighters, both former gold medalists and world heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
That brings me to George Foreman. George is also an Olympic gold medalist and a two-time world heavyweight champion. He fought Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield, Jimmy Ellis, Gerry Cooney, and Tommy Morrison. He won his second world championship title at 45 by knocking out Michael Moorer, previously 35-0, in the 10th round.
Next on the list is Sugar Ray Leonard, arguably one of the best boxers of all time. He was fast, had decent power, and held the title in several weight classes. While not a heavyweight, Sugar Ray Leonard kept boxing at the forefront after Muhammad Ali retired. He was part of a group of boxers who fought each other and kept boxing relevant throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Marvin Hagler (photo courtesy Denver Post)
After Sugar Ray Leonard, the next great fighter on my list would have to be Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He was charismatic and a dominant middleweight from 1980 to 87. Marvelous Marvin Hagler was very much a blue-collar fighter. He had a strong chin and an incredible knockout ratio.
Following Mr. Leonard and Mr. Hagler very closely on my list are Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns and Roberto Duran. One thing notable about my list is that all of these guys were champions. All of them are names that go hand in hand with championship fights, main events on HBO and Showtime, and Friday or Saturday night fights on network TV called by some of the biggest names in broadcasting, including Howard Cosell.
All of these fighters (yes, it is a long list), Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, Tommy Morrison, Lennox Lewis, Leon Spinks, Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Hector “Macho” Comacho, Julio Cesar Chavez, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Roy Jones Jr., Pernell Whitaker, “Sugar” Shane Mosely, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, Gerald McClellan, Buster Douglas, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Nigel Benn are champions, world-class fighters, and deserve respect and recognition.
The same cannot be said for Jake Paul, who has not fought anyone of significance…..until Friday night when he will face an aged but still very scary “Iron” Mike Tyson. After watching the training videos, joint press conferences, and interviews, Mike Tyson looks ready. He is in incredible shape, has speed and power, and appears to be on a mission to knock Jake Paul out, to defeat, in Mike’s own words, a “manufactured killer.”
Jake is a promoter, marketer, and social media influencer. While he can and has won some fights, those fights were not against world-class boxers.
Like so many have said, If he beats Mike Tyson, he beats a 58-year-old former heavyweight champion who is admittedly past his prime. If he loses to Mike Tyson, whether by knockout or decision, he gets beat by Mike Tyson, quite possibly still the “Baddest’ man on the planet!
I don’t think this boxing match will improve the sport of boxing in its current state or bolster Jake Paul’s reputation as a legitimate fighter. So, what does this fight do? It allows Mike Tyson to beat Father Time and put a wannabe boxer in his place. It feeds his need to do what Mike Tyson was born to do: fight, punch, and (in this case) beat a loud, obnoxious, self-proclaimed “great fighter.”
It allows fans to witness Mike Tyson’s speed and power once more. It gives older fans like myself who have seen greatness in the ring a chance to witness a revival of one of the greats. For us older fans, it gives us a chance to root for an underdog. We all know that if he is given the opportunity and the fight is on the level and unscripted, he will annihilate and embarrass Jake Paul, even at 58.
Regardless of the outcome, and without shame, I am pulling for a Mike Tyson knockout! What needs to happen after the bout? Jake Paul needs to fight ranked, legitimate professional boxers and earn the respect he desires. Paul must prove to the world that he is a contender, not through self-promotion and hand-picking opponents, but in the ring against top 25/30-ranked heavyweight boxers.
I am positive a record number of televisions will be tuned into the Tyson/Paul fight on Friday night. This will be a boon for Netflix and good for ratings, but ultimately, it will do nothing to legitimize Jake Paul, nor will it help or hurt Mike Tyson’s legacy.
A Tyson win will draw fans to boxing because a decisive Tyson win or knockout will increase the curiosity of casual fans who will search the current boxing ranks for the next Mike Tyson. A Paul win is simply a paycheck. No doubt, a prime Mike Tyson would destroy Paul. Indeed, I believe a prime boxer from any weight division (insert name here) would handily beat Jake Paul.
The first 2 fights before the main event were classics. The main event was terrible as predicted. Jake Paul should be embarrassed to fight a senior citizen and claim legitimacy. Jake’s a bum but he’s one hell of a promoter. I will give him that.
The sport of boxing has been dead for a minute. Good, American Heavyweights are non-existent. No one really cares about the lower weight divisions IMO. I think boxing started to decline after the first major crossover fight with Mayweather vs. McGregor. It’s been on a steady decline since.
Until we see a real American Fighter(s) that the country can get behind with a cleanup of the boxing officials, the sport will continue to decline.