I need to preface this with my opinion as a brand new informal fan. We’re roughly 48 hours from what Jake Paul is claiming to be the most important struggle within the historical past {of professional} boxing, and I, as a fan, simply can not see this bout as something greater than an overhyped occasion to garner consideration for Jake Paul.
Many observers, followers, and boxing analysts agree this can be a cash seize. I, for one, hope this can be a authentic struggle for some purpose. Having grown up within the ‘70s and ‘80s, I had the privilege—let me repeat that a little bit extra boldly—of watching most of the greats ever step into the ring, which additionally carried into the ‘90s.
Males who constructed and carried the game all through their careers. Names synonymous with greatness!
Muhammad Ali, for my part and my reminiscence, is just the best fighter to ever strap on a pair of gloves. Ali had a persona that was bigger than life, he was an Olympic Gold Medalist, and the heavyweight champion of the world 3 occasions, he was entertaining, assured, and backed up his trash speak each time he stepped in to face one other boxer. His struggle with Frazier, “The Thrilla in Manilla”, his poetic quotes, and his unorthodox type outlined boxing and largely my love of the game.
“Iron” Mike Tyson, the baddest man on the planet, that moniker was nicely deserved, and Mike Tyson was precisely the Champion that skilled boxing wanted when he rose to the highest of the game. His velocity and punching energy have been not like every other boxer I had ever seen.
Smokin’ Joe Frazier was robust, had a devasting left hook, and was the undisputed heavyweight champion from ’70-’73. He was additionally an Olympic Gold medalist and had epic fights with Ali and George Foreman. The truth is, Joe Frazier misplaced to solely two fighters, each former gold medalists and world heavyweight champions, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
That brings me to George Foreman. George can also be an Olympic gold medalist and two-time world heavyweight champion. He has fought not solely Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier but additionally Evander Holyfield, Jimmy Ellis, Gerry Cooney, and Tommy Morrison. He gained his second world championship title at 45 years outdated by knocking out Michael Moorer, beforehand 35-0, within the tenth spherical.
Subsequent on the record is Sugar Ray Leonard, arguably among the best boxers of all time. He was quick, had respectable energy, and held the title in a number of totally different weight courses. Whereas not a heavyweight, Sugar Ray Leonard stored boxing on the forefront after Muhammad Ali retired. He was a part of a gaggle of boxers who fought one another and stored boxing related all through the late Seventies and early Nineteen Eighties.
After Sugar Ray Leonard, the subsequent nice fighter on my record must be Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He was charismatic and a dominant middleweight from 1980-87. Marvelous Marvin Hagler was very a lot a blue-collar fighter. He had a robust chin and an unimaginable knockout ratio.
Following Mr. Leonard and Mr. Hagler very carefully on my record are Thomas “the Hitman” Hearns and Roberto Duran. One factor notable about my record is that every one of those guys have been champions. All of them are names that go hand in hand with championship fights, essential occasions on HBO and Showtime, and Friday or Saturday evening fights on community TV known as by among the largest names in broadcasting, together with Howard Cosell.
The entire above fighters and all of those fighters (sure, it’s a lengthy record), Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, Tommy Morrison, Lennox Lewis, Leon Spinks, Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Hector “Macho” Comacho, Julio Cesar Chavez, Ray “Increase Increase” Mancini, Roy Jones Jr., Pernell Whitaker, “ Sugar” Shane Mosely, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins, Gerald McClellan, Buster Douglas, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Nigel Benn are champions, world-class fighters and deserve respect and recognition.
The identical can’t be mentioned for Jake Paul, he hasn’t really fought anybody of significance…..till Friday evening, then he’ll face an aged, however nonetheless very scary “Iron” Mike Tyson. On the surface, watching the coaching movies, the joint press conferences and interviews, Mike Tyson appears prepared. He’s in unimaginable form, has velocity and energy, and seems to be on a mission to knock Jake Paul out, to defeat, in Mike’s personal phrases, a “manufactured killer”.
Jake is a promoter, marketer, and social media influencer. Whereas he can struggle and has gained some fights, these fights weren’t in opposition to world-class boxers.
Like so many have mentioned, If he beats Mike Tyson, he beats a 58-year-old former heavyweight champion who’s admittedly previous his prime. If he loses to Mike Tyson, whether or not by knockout or determination, he will get beat by Mike Tyson, fairly probably nonetheless the baddest man on the planet! I don’t assume this boxing match will do something to enhance the game of boxing in its present state or bolster Jake Paul’s status as a authentic fighter.
So, what does this struggle do? It provides Mike Tyson an opportunity to beat Father Time and put a wannabe boxer in his place, which, for my part, is on some obscure YouTube channel. It provides Mike Tyson an opportunity to launch the beast one final time, to feed that must struggle and go away all of it within the ring, to do what Mike Tyson was born to do: struggle, punch, and beat a loud, obnoxious, self-proclaimed “nice fighter”.
It provides followers a possibility to witness Mike Tyson’s velocity and energy as soon as extra. It provides older followers like myself who’ve witnessed greatness within the ring an opportunity to witness a revival of one of many greats. For us older followers, it provides us an opportunity to root for an underdog. Everyone knows full nicely that if he’s given the chance and the struggle is on the extent and unscripted, he’ll annihilate and embarrass Jake Paul, even at 58 years of age.
Whatever the consequence, and with out disgrace, I’m evidently pulling for a Mike Tyson knock-out! What must occur after that is that Jake Paul must struggle ranked, authentic skilled boxers and earn the respect he wishes. Jake Paul must show to the world that he’s a contender, not by way of self-promotion and hand-picking opponents he can beat! No, Jake Paul must struggle Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, Michael Hunter, Deontay Wilder, or anybody within the prime 25/30 ranked heavyweight boxers to get authentic boxing cred.
I’m optimistic a report variety of televisions will likely be tuned into the Tyson/Paul struggle on Friday evening. It is going to be a boon for Netflix and good for rankings, however in the end, it can do nothing to legitimize Jake Paul, nor will it assist or harm Mike Tyson’s legacy. A Tyson win will draw followers to boxing as a result of a decisive Tyson win or knockout will improve the curiosity of informal followers who will search the present boxing ranks for the subsequent Mike Tyson.
A Paul win is just a paycheck for Jake and Mike, and whereas he’ll boast about beating Mike Tyson, a first-rate Mike Tyson would destroy a first-rate Jake Paul. In my view, a first-rate (insert title right here) boxer from any weight division Jake Paul could make weight for would handily beat Jake Paul.
-Chris Thomas
Boxing Fan and Self Proclaimed Novice Analyst
