With less than a month to go before his highly anticipated bout against Mike Tyson on November 15th, Jake Paul has been hard at work preparing for what many are calling one of the most talked-about fights of the decade. During recent media appearances, Paul revealed his Top 3 boxers of all time.
A major talking point leading up to the fight is the significant age gap between the two fighters—Paul is 27, while Tyson is 58—sparking considerable debate. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Paul was asked to respond to critics who have labeled the matchup a “lose-lose” situation for his boxing career. The YouTube star-turned-boxer didn’t hold back in his response.
“I would say a lot of things. I would say, first and foremost, you fight Mike Tyson and most of them won’t get to the ring,” Paul told SI’s Doug Vazquez, emphasizing that Tyson’s experience and legendary status transcend age.
Paul went on to describe the fight as an honor, not just a challenge, and took the opportunity to reveal his Top 3 boxers of all time: “Secondly, if you love the sport of boxing and you did have the opportunity to fight a legend, it’s an honor to step in there with one of the three biggest legends in the history of the sport: Muhammad Ali, Floyd (Mayweather Jr), Mike Tyson.
(R-L) Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a punch at Conor McGregor during their super welterweight boxing match on August 26, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He also dismissed the idea of the fight being a “lose-lose” for him, sharing a personal story about what this moment means to his family. “To me, it’s an honor. It’s a win-win. I can’t believe it. My dad’s favorite fighter growing up is Mike Tyson. My dad cried when I told him about this opportunity,” Paul admitted.
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Jake Paul on the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano rematch
Jake Paul also touched on the upcoming rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, set to take place just before his bout with Tyson. Their first fight has been called the biggest in women’s boxing history. Paul is excited to have the rematch as part of his event.
“To me it’s surreal and iconic moment, and with the co-made event Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano, and putting women’s boxing in the most viewed event ever… It’s huge, they deserve it. It was one of the most entertaining fights I’ve ever watched, so the products it’s amazing. The product deserves to be given the spotlight and that’s exactly what we want to do,” Paul said to Sports Illustrated.
Titled Taylor vs. Serrano 2, the rematch promises to be more than just a prelude to Paul vs. Tyson. Fans hope it will deliver the same level of excitement as their first encounter in New York.
