Jake Paul defeats Mike Tyson- Generational Clash or Circus Act?
Imagine telling yourself seven years ago that Joe Weller sparring Theo Baker would lead to Youtube star Jake Paul headlining a professional fight against Mike Tyson. The seven million viewed video, splashed the sport of boxing all over the YouTube canvas and commenced the biggest chain of events in internet history.
The platform’s biggest content creators seized the boxing baton and ran with it.
UK and USA Youtube ‘heavyweights’ KSI and Logan Paul fought each other with their younger brothers Deji and Jake following suit. Press conferences were held. Fans became obsessed. The media threw huge amounts of money on long-winded build ups and epic showdowns.
This was just the start. The scene grew and expanded. Bigger names. More money. More stakes. Colossal venues. It was only a matter of time before the professionals wanted a slice of the YouTube boxing pie.
From two men in Newhaven to 70,000 spectators in Arlington. The butterfly effect at its absolute finest.
At the AT&T Stadium, 60 million households flicked over to Netflix to watch Jake Paul defeat Mike Tyson by unanimous decision.
Let’s look back to how the events unfolded in arguably the most bizarre boxing contest this century
The Build Up
The press conference was frankly baffling. It was a far cry from the usual spats and tussles we’ve seen as boxer’s try to get in their opponent’s head. The drama felt more like a comedy.
Jake Paul’s perhaps didn’t land in the way he wanted as Mike Tyson just stared into the distance, looking completely disinterested. Like a bolt from his Everton blue, Tony Bellew dressed in a gimmick Paddy Power outfit, labelled Jake Paul a clown from the press area.
Host Ariel Helwani saw the funny side as security dragged the former WBC cruiserweight champion away. Bizarre from Bellew, but fitting in the context of a such a disorderly build-up.
At least Katie Taylor’s highly anticipated rematch with Amanda Serrano on the undercard gave the contest a degree of kudos.
Despite the madness, stakes were high for both fighters. Mike Tyson was in pursuit of a fresh challenge in his post-prime years. For Jake Paul, it was simply the desire to prove himself as a legitimate boxer as critics lambast his genuine boxing credentials.
The Fight Itself
A boxing fight should always be aggressive, end-to-end, unpredictable and jaw-dropping. That’s the pure adrenaline addiction fans enjoy.
This was no such case. Instead, it was like watching a tragedy and constant Netflix buffering didn’t help.
This really was the curtain call for Mike Tyson. No longer was he the lean, mean-hitting machine Mike Tyson fans were accustomed to. He was a shadow of his former self as Jake Paul patiently probed throughout the eight rounds.
He was apprehensive to throwing, stiffly shuffling around the ring at times in a trance. The contest was fought like an exhibition fight. The 31-year age gap was telling.
Post-fight, Paul even admitted to pulling out of punches in the latter stages.
He said: “I wanted to give the fans a show but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.”
Alex Pattle in The Independent summed it up perfectly labelling the contest, “a lose-lose scenario.”
Aftermath and future of boxing.
Despite controversy, Jake Paul should get credit. Yes, Mike Tyson was 58. Yes, the fight itself was drab, lacking any real panache. Yet Paul backed his words with action. His weeks of rigorous training paid off.
It may be the same drive that’s resulted in him amassing 70 million followers across all social media platforms. His social media persona makes him an attractive proposition. The lead sponsors for the fight, energy drinks company CELSIUS, recently made Paul an ambassador of the brand.
Joining a roster of star athletes such as Noah Lyles with CELSIUS, he does show that he is starting to be taken seriously as an athlete by top-level sponsorship.
Does he mean real business in the world of boxing? As he eyes a bout with Canelo Alvarez, perhaps so.
Surely now is the time for Jake to fight someone of an equal ability to him that can give him a proper run for his money.
So, does a YouTuber fighting a former world champion reflect an evolution or devolution of boxing?
Evolution of social media outreach and financial investment? Yes. You only need to look at Netflix’s eagerness to stream the fight.
Devolution of the spectacle’s quality with the inclusion of social media celebrities? Most definitely.
I guess it all depends on what you value more as a boxing fan. What we do know, is that this most certainly won’t be the last we see not just of Jake Paul, but of these type of contests in years to come.
When money talks, there a few interruptions.
