It's no secret that boxing has had a spotted past, but when people look back at the history of this once beloved sport, many will remember this moment as its darkest hour.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Jake Paul and former heavyweight titan, Mike Tyson, have verbally agreed to a £36 million super-fight deal, that will take place in Las Vegas sometime this year. With a 31-year age gap separating the two fighters, it's safe to say that this matchup has come straight from the glorious minds that brought us Rocky Balboa, the 2006 rotten tomato of a film that brought the Rocky franchise crumbling to the ground. Unfortunately, I fear boxing is going to come to a very similar demise.
Back when Jake Paul first burst onto the pro-boxing scene, many people saw the same thing I did. A 22-year-old kid with a big mouth and social media following. Nevertheless, one unconscious retired basketball player later and suddenly Jake Paul was the next big name in boxing, appearing next to the likes of legitimate and full-time athletes.
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| marca.com |
Fast forward to 2022, and not only has this loudmouth kid continued to flourish, but the world around him has enabled him to. Jake Paul has trash-talked and bought his way to five professional victories, all of which can be easily proven as rigged fights. Nevertheless, these fights don't really bother me. Other than waking up the next morning with a black eye, fighting Jake Paul has been a brilliant investment for older or retired fighters who want one last paycheck before sailing into the sunset. However, with the announcement of Jake Paul's latest fight, something way bigger than a paycheck has just been put on the line.
Legacy.
There is no question that in the 1990s, Mike Tyson was the scariest man on the planet (a mantle he is still in contention for today). In a career that spanned over 58 professional fights, Tyson won 50, 44 by way of knockout, and only recorded 6 losses. From this grew a legacy of greatness for which he will always be remembered as one of the greatest boxers to ever step foot on the canvas.
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| fightsaga.com |
That is until he loses to Jake Paul.
I know what you're thinking. No. Surely not? There's no way Mike will let that happen? Sadly, it's a road of realisation that we're all heading down together, and there is only one thing to blame. MONEY.
Despite and long and successful boxing career, Mike Tyson is one broke a** millionaire and a check for £36 million to fight a non-fighter is some pretty low hanging fruit. Unfortunately, Jake Paul has also taken the place of Conor McGregor has "the money fight" in all combat sports, meaning no matter who appears on the card next to him, the world is going to watch regardless (even if it is just to laugh). Furthermore, Paul also has an image to uphold, and a loss to a 55-year-old would probably demote him back to the cesspools of Youtube and TikTok.
Therefore, it's almost certain that no matter how many videos go viral of Tyson knocking out sparring partners, be prepared for this once great legend to go down like a sack of s**t as soon as he and his dancing partner have put on a nice show.
So, just remember, as Jake Paul winds up to deliver that final blow, not only will he be killing the legacy of a boxing legend, but he will also be signing the death warrant of the sport itself.
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| manchestereveningnews.co.uk |
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