‘Who’s going to win?’ has been a frequently asked question here in Dallas this week as the city prepares to host a fight between one of the all-time greats and an online sensation.
According to the bookies, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, 27, is the clear favourite for his intriguing and somewhat controversial fight with 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson.
For those of a certain vintage, that is an incredulous thought. How could one of the greatest to ever enter the ring and a man once branded ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ lose to a novice gearing up for just his 12th fight?
The answer, of course, is time. Nearly 60, Tyson has not fought professionally since 2005. They say power is the last thing to go in a boxer’s armoury but that expression is usually reserved for journeymen in their late 30s rather than icons of the 90s who have decided to make a surprising, lucrative comeback.
Make no mistake, Iron Mike can still bang. He proved as much during the open workout on Tuesday night – just 72 hours before he completes a staggering return to the ring.
Even taking into account his trainer’s slightly exaggerated reactions on the pads, some of Tyson’s punches looked genuinely devastating, especially his iconic uppercut. Surely even Jake Paul fans – and there are millions – want at least one to connect, if only to see the aftermath.
Tyson remains a hugely imposing figure and few would readily trade places with the man on the pads as the youngest heavyweight champ in history went about his work.
But there was enough to see why Paul is a deserved favourite going into the fight. It goes without saying but the speed is nowhere near the level it was – if the younger man plays it right, he should be pretty hard to hit.
Tyson’s stamina is also a concern; sweat was pouring from his head as he conducted a brief but entertaining interview in the ring after the workout. Survive the early onslaught and Paul could start to dominate a gassed Tyson.
‘I’m tougher than I believed I was,’ he said when asked what he learned about himself while preparing for a fight that was due to take place over the summer but had to be postponed on medical grounds after he suffered an ulcer flare-up.
‘When I agreed to this fight and I started training, I thought, “what the f*** am I doing?! But I finished the process and now the fight is the party, all the hard work is done. You won’t be disappointed.’
Jake Paul was the last of ten fighters to enter the ring at the Toyota Music Factory, sporting a red rooster on his head to reflect his lesser knock nickname – ‘El Gallo de Dorado’, or ‘The Fighting Rooster’.
Pundits have of course pointed out flaws in his technique but he looked big (he has piled on the weight for this fight), strong and agile in front of a few hundred fans and the media ahead of what he has (incorrectly) called ‘the biggest fight in history’.
‘I’m blessed to be here,’ said The Problem Child. ‘It’s going to be an amazing night.
‘I feel really good… sharp, powerful and explosive. It’s not about how long you’ve been doing something, it’s about how good you do it.
‘You’re going to see me outbox someone who has been doing it his whole life. On Friday my dreams come true and my career really starts. It’s going to be a short night for Mike.’
There can’t be many who want to see the great Mike Tyson beaten – or worse, hurt – at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium on Friday night, but Jake Paul’s prophecy could well be right.
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson will stream live exclusively on Netflix on Friday 15 November.
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