Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson | Was It Scripted?
The battle began after Jake Paul, aged 27 and a YouTuber turned boxer challenged the legendary heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, aged 58 to fight in the ring against him. The fans took to social media their excitement but soon the buzz was fueled by a viral fake script and speculations about a fixed outcome, while, the fight proved the opposite. The bouts lasted for eight rounds and were scored by the judges as 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73 in Paul’s favor, declaring him the winner.
Fact vs Reality: The Viral Script
Just a few hours before the match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, fans shared an alleged “leaked script”, which had details about the result of the battle. According to the script, Paul was supposed to knock out Tyson in the fifth round, which sparked rumors that the match was “fixed”.
However, the script was quickly debunked and fans instead witnessed an intense battle of eight rounds. This is also to be noted that such hoaxes were not made for the first time. Similar allegations had previously surfaced before Paul’s fight against Tommy Fury. Despite these allegations, no evidence was found for match-fixing and the fans witnessed an amazing battle in real.
The Real Showdown
The fight was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on 16th November. The match was special because it was the return of the G.O.A.T Mike Tyson, the veteran professional boxer to the ring after a 19-year hiatus.
As soon as Tyson entered into the ring, he got thunderous applause from the fans, on the other hand, Jake Paul was welcomed with unfriendly boos. However, despite all the initial crowd dynamics, Paul used his age, tactics, and stamina efficiently and managed to survive against the 58-year-old icon.
Breakdown Of The Fight
Round 1& 2: The opening round saw Tyson putting up a great fight with aggressive punches and Paul moved towards defensive mode. Tyson’s clean shots and calculated moves dominated the early exchanges, giving the crowd hope. However, Paul stood strong and understood the weakness with which he started his punch.
Round 3 & 4: By the third round, Jake Paul found his rhythm and turned the tide. A triple jab rocked Tyson, pushing the veteran to the ropes. This moment led to a shift in the momentum. Tyson’s fatigue began to show in the fourth round, which gave leverage to Jake Paul to set his winnings.
Round 5 & 6: Considering Mike Tyson’s age, he was seen slow and weak from his legs out of the two and even had a few punches by Jake. By the fifth round, Paul was leading with 1 point.
Final Round, 7 & 8: With the score 48-47 in his favor, Paul managed to remain composed as the rounds entered their last match. Although fans cheered for Tyson’s comeback, Paul was also seen dictating the fight forward. The final scores of the judges were 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73 all in favor of Jake Paul. Thus, declaring Jake Paul as the ultimate winner.
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson: Was it worth the hype?
Talking about the performance of both Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, weakness and old age was purely visible in Tyson’s fight. Paul landed 78 of 278 punches as compared to Tyson’s 18 of 97. The decisive moment came in the third and fourth rounds when Paul exploited Tyson’s stamina.
According to some sources, the fight’s total prize money was $60 million. As stated by Forbes, Jake Paul will receive $40 million (approx Rs 338 crore), and Mike Tyson will receive $ 20 million (approx Rs 169 crore).
Despite fans fearing that Tyson was too old or out of shape, the bout went beyond expectations as it became a show for worldwide boxing fans. Paul’s gamble paid off, and his maturity indicated growth as a boxer, while Tyson’s grit and flashes showed why he is an iconic figure within the sport.
Final Thoughts
As for the viral leaked script, it was later proved to be fake. However, there still is a theory that the match was scripted because both Jake Paul and Mike Tyson were friends and were in need of money. Hence, they put up this fight to earn their fair share. Well, these rumors may be right, but what cannot be forgotten is that Tyson was a legend in his young days and a favorite of many.
While some also questioned the ethics of a 27-year-old calling in a challenge to a 58-year veteran to a fight, Jake Paul’s victory over Mike Tyson received a mixed reaction as well as took all through a path of nostalgia, witnessing the legend once again in the ring. The fight was both entertaining and controversial with fans cheering for Mike Tyson on one hand and concerned over the legend’s health on the other.
