Sports fans have waited for this fight for a while now and, quite frankly, some doubted it would happen. However, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will finally have their much-hyped boxing match this coming Friday night and will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Both fighters on the card hosted an open workout days before the big night. And, as someone who saw both fighters training, a few things stood out to me.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make the trip to Irving, Texas in person to see the two showcase their skills. So I'm grateful that MMA Junkie pulled through with full videos of both fighters. I saw some elements that I liked and some that worried me a bit. Here's what stood out.
Mike Tyson Can Box Circles Around Jake Paul
I don't claim to be a professional boxing analyst but, right off the bat, it was clear who the more technically proficient fighter of the two was. Mike Tyson may be the elder statesman and well past his prime but, during the workouts, those iconic combos looked as devastating as they were decades ago. Tyson seemed to be emphasizing quick head jabs to weave and set up body combos, and that now leads me to think that Lennox Lewis was spot on in guessing that Tyson might use those to slow down his younger opponent. I was also shocked by just how fast Tyson moved, especially in comparison to his opponent.
Jake Paul moved slower and, having watched both workouts back to back, was jarring to see his lack of technical skills. His fastest succession of punches was a quick one-two combo up top, but there was almost zero weaving or anything more complex than just throwing hard punches. He didn't look like someone who could stand against a contemporary championship fighter. So, if I were him, I'd rethink his plan for what would come next if he beat Mike Tyson.
Tyson Was Sweating Profusely At The End Of His Short Workout
For as good as Mike Tyson looked in the ring, I have to point out that he was sweating profusely by the end of the session. That was a bit concerning to me, because the sparring session was only about three minutes. It now seems clear why the veteran wanted shorter rounds for the fight, and I think there's a good chance of him gassing out early should this go beyond a third round. All of that said, Jake Paul wasn't exactly hopping around at the end of his session either, so maybe that extra weight he's put on will factor into his stamina as well.
Paul Is Bigger, And He Seemed To Be Hitting Harder
While I should emphasize that this was a training session, it seemed clear that Jake Paul was throwing harder punches during his session compared to Mike Tyson. Even if it doesn't mean much, I don't think there's any denying who the physically superior of the two is in this training session. To me, it seems as though Paul has made sure to bulk himself as much as possible to withstand Tyson's devastating blows and hope he can take over the fight in the latter rounds and throw some devastating haymakers.
Of course, that's also assuming that the YouTuber is taking this fight seriously enough to have a game plan. And, considering the fact that he was wearing a chicken wig and still trolling "Iron Mike" during the training, I have to question how dialed in the viral sensation is.
We'll see who beats who when Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight in their Netflix bout on Friday, November 15th. I'm very excited to watch this fight, and I still have no idea who will come out on top. Ultimately, I think it'll depend on what happens in the early rounds, so be sure to pay close attention.
