With many questioning whether the bout will actually be a fight, the former heavyweight champion has insisted that the stakes will be very real. Really?
When news of the bout was first announced, many celebrated what they hoped would be an opportunity to see the former YouTube star get his clock cleaned. Faced with arguably the most dangerous fighter in boxing history, surely there could be no other outcome. Yet, as details of the rules began to emerge, it started to look more like a dance rehearsal than a boxing match. Now, the former heavyweight world champion says that’s not the case.
Mike Tyson insists the Jake Paul fight is the real deal
While the banter ahead of a boxing match is always laden with barbs and threats, one does get the feeling that ahead of Mike Tyson’s July 20th fight with Jake Paul, there is a certain element of justification mixed in with the normal chatter. Indeed, many have called the rules of the fight farcical as they appeared to significantly protect Paul. Interestingly, Tyson has now insisted that while the bout won’t be considered official – it’s an exhibition match – it will not have the restrictions that such matches normally do.
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Speaking earlier this week, the fight legend spoke to the idea that he is taking Paul seriously though he believes he will be victorious. “This is called an exhibition, but if you look up exhibition, you will not see any of the laws that we’re fighting under. This is a fight. I don’t think he’s faster than me. I’ve seen a YouTube of him at 16 doing weird dances. That’s not the guy I’m going to be fighting. This guy is going to come, he’s going to try to hurt me, which I’m accustomed to. He’s going to be greatly mistaken.”
So, what can we expect from Tyson vs Paul?
That’s a good question. For the moment, what we know is that Netflix is set to livestream the event from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Aside from that and a reported $20 million payday for Mike Tyson, not much else is known, including what Jake Paul himself is set to earn. It’s worth noting that according to reports, the promoters of the fight have not provided any details to the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation which could also be why information is scarce.
