Tyson is a now 58-year-old and long-retired fighter with a number of business interests. He did have an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr, on which Jake Paul competed on, but aside from that has not fought in many years.
The ever-vocal Paul is a YouTuber turned fighter who has been very active over the last couple of years but has been wise in who he has picked to fight, often going for faded UFC champions or old social media rivals.
He did fight professional boxer Tommy Fury in February last year and lost, and just last weekend took on another boxer and won by knockout in the first run, but he has never faced anywhere near the profile or quality of heavyweight legend Tyson.
Speaking to Netflix, ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ has explained this leftfield move, which fans have not generally received too positively.
“I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He’s grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ‘kid’ can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT.
“It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”
Many people think the fight will likely draw huge numbers but is not generally the sort of spectacle that is good for the sport.