Mike Tyson unlikely to turn back clock in novelty boxing match against Jake Paul

I spent last Thursday morning at a café in Montreal, chatting with my broadcast partner, Corey Erdman, and a mutual friend of ours about that night's assignment — a middleweight showdown between local hero Steven Butler and Toronto-based veteran Steve Rolls.

The bout marked a career crossroads, with clear stakes for both men. Thursday's winner would vault back into title contention, while the loser would have to contemplate his professional future. Factor in the Quebec vs. Ontario regional rivalry, and you had the exact kind of bout boxing purists say we need more of, especially in Canada, where the sport is resurgent.

As the conversation unfolded, I scrolled Instagram and saw an announcement for the type of fight that rich decision-makers keep force-feeding us instead.

Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson will face Jake Paul, the social media star-turned-boxer, on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Texas, in the main event of a card that will stream live on Netflix. By the end of last year, the streaming giant's subscriber base numbered 260 million, but that figure could swell in the lead-up to a novelty bout some observers think might become the most-viewed boxing match ever.

Details about the planned matchup remain secret. 

How many rounds is it scheduled for?

Is there a weight limit?

Sanctioned bout or exhibition?

Can they keep those details secret until fight night?

I'm sure they would love to.

They also love that our imaginations fill the information void. In my social media timelines and inboxes, sports fans nurtured visions of Tyson, who first won a heavyweight title in 1986, beating some sense and humility into Paul, the arrogant former YouTuber who has cashed in on a series of novelty boxing matches. And it is tempting to picture Tyson buzz-sawing through Paul like he did to Larry Holmes in the winter of 1988.

Holmes, after all, had a seven-year tenure as heavyweight champ, and a deadly right hand he called "Big Jack," and still couldn't hold Tyson off? What does Paul have, besides a fan base, irrational confidence, and 31-year age advantage?

Right now, it's not clear.

The only certainty is that for the next four months, every boxing journalist and hardcore fight fan will get dragged into debates over whether a 58-year-old man with a bad case of sciatica can defeat a 27-year-old who, whether we like him or not, is an active pro boxer who trains full time with high-level coaches.

Uneven playing field

Except it's not a debate.

The younger boxer has a profound advantage over an opponent moving full speed toward social security — in the U.S. eligibility starts at age 62. It's not about ageism, or the gap between Tyson's resumé (50 wins, two title reigns, five belts) and Paul's (signature victory… Ryan Bourland?).

It's about biology.

Before we continue… Yes, I've seen that clip of Tyson in teeny tiny shorts, hammering a trainer clad in target mitts and body armour. Impressive, especially for his age. Take Tyson against almost anyone else on earth born in the 1960s. 

But that footage is nearly four years old, and the half-life on a late middle-aged athlete's highlights is surprisingly short. 

The fastest 40-year-old in history is Kim Collins, who ran 9.93 seconds in the 100 metres, a time that stands up in any open competition. And the fastest at 50? That's former Chicago Bear Willie Gault, whose 10.88 might win a medal in a provincial high school final. That's why age groups in masters athletics cover five-year spans — to keep the playing field level. 

Also, Tyson later told podcast host Joe Rogan that he spent a week recovering from that specific workout. Asking Tyson to pummel Jake Paul is like asking Deion Sanders to play corner in college — at any level from FBS to U Sports — right now. He ran 4.2 around the same time Tyson demolished Michael Spinks, but now he has creaky knees, and feet in chronic need of surgical repair. He'll always be Prime, but if you want to put him on your highlight reel, now's the time.

None of those details signal that Tyson is set to wind his body clock back to 1988, the year most boxing experts agree that he peaked. But Tyson's superpower, more than his rare mix of speed, timing and two-fisted punching power, is his ability to convince us that we're still living in the Reagan administration. Forget how slow he looked in his last fight, the real Mike Tyson will return in the next one.

If you're thinking like that heading into the Jake Paul fight, that's your imagination.

In reality, the people promoting Tyson fights have been reheating the same highlights since the late 1980s. The fights keep coming, but the sizzle reel looks the same. 

But if mid-80s Mike Tyson didn't show up against Francois Botha or Danny Williams or Kevin McBride, why would he climb through the ropes two decades later against Jake Paul?

He probably won't. We just expect him to. Which is how fights get sold. On expectations.

Paul's playbook

Paul has it figured out.

Paul followed that playbook early, earning wins over an NBA player, and a string of over-the-hill MMA fighters, headlining pay-per-view events with bouts more suited to local club shows. After a loss to reality star and part-time boxer Tommy Fury, Paul pivoted to a more traditional boxing career path, padding his record against boxers who work day jobs.

But the market for those fights is tiny, hence the move back to showdowns with past-their-prime, brand-name opponents. To the extent that Paul has boxing roots, the Tyson fight is a return to them.

Can he win?

He might not have to, given that few jurisdictions would license a 58-year-old for a prize fight. Assume this matchup is an exhibition until told otherwise.

Whether the fight meets expectations depends on the viewer. Young people who have seen Paul beat up on overmatched foes, then watched highlight reels of early career Tyson will be disappointed if (when?) the bout devolves into a dull feint-and-clinch contest, full of missed openings and heavy breathing. Less a boxing match than a 10-round slow dance, with a tacit agreement between the fighters not to do damage.

But if you're old enough to remember peak Mike Tyson, you're old enough not to expect him to show up in 2024, which means you're old enough to know better.

WATCH l Is Jake Paul good for boxing? CBC Sports' Bring It In discusses:

Is Jake Paul good for boxing? | Bring It In

3 years ago

Duration 9:04

Host Morgan Campbell is joined by Meghan McPeak and Dave Zirin to discuss their reactions to the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley fight and whether Jake Paul is good for the sport of boxing.