Mike Tyson had seen enough just 30 seconds into watching Jake Paul’s sparring session.
This information comes from the esteemed coach, Freddie Roach. Paul and Tyson are set to clash in a landmark fight, marking Netflix’s debut in broadcasting a boxing event.
The showdown is scheduled at AT&T Stadium, Texas, on July 20. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has collaborated with Netflix to organize this spectacular event.
Despite being 58, Tyson’s popularity remains undiminished. His previous match, an exhibition with Roy Jones Jr., attracted a massive viewership, achieving over a million pay-per-views.
The upcoming match between Paul and Tyson is anticipated to attract an even larger audience, appealing to fans across different sectors.
Criticism has surfaced for several reasons. Critics argue that Paul is stepping back from his vow to take on more formidable opponents.
After his defeat to Tommy Fury, Paul aimed to compete against seasoned boxers, regaining his confidence with a win against Nate Diaz, followed by quick victories over Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
Reflecting on his rapid rise, Paul expressed awe at facing Tyson, a legend of the sport, in less than four years after going viral for his knockout of Nate Robinson during Tyson’s undercard.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons. Within just two and a half years of founding MVP, we’re about to produce the biggest fight in history,” he said, according to BoxingNews.
Moreover, concerns linger about Tyson potentially getting hurt, especially after his bout with Jones Jr., where Tyson acknowledged the physical toll but expressed a desire to compete more fiercely in future matches.
Yet, Tyson’s brief glimpse of Paul’s sparring might suggest the fight won’t meet expectations.
“Tyson looked at him and left. He saw 30 seconds of him sparring and said, ‘Freddie, can we go down and see the pictures?’. He knows that’s where the good pictures are. And he wasn’t as interested as I was,” Roach said, according to Sportbible.