After the initial shock, the news of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson‘s fight seems to be settling down. But what’s a boxing match that doesn’t stir up a storm of controversy? The match has already attracted a fair share of criticism over the sheer age gap between the two fighters. A few days ago, doubts over certain rules governing the match surfaced.
Whether the rumors hold true or not, the situation needs to be clarified for the fans’ sake. Jake Paul took to his Instagram story some time ago to send a clear message. The Cleveland, Ohio-born YouTuber-turned-boxer, who turned 27 in January, will face Mike Tyson on the back of two successful outings. The 57-year-old former champion, on the other hand, fought Roy Jones Jr. three years ago. Paul and Tyson will reportedly duke it out at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 20.
Jake Paul: Refusing to Back Down
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“Just a quick message to the people who are complaining about the rules of me versus Mike Tyson,” said ‘The Problem Child’ on his Instagram story. He pointed out how a TikToker came up with a video mentioning ‘fake rules’ including the one where both Paul and Tyson would be wearing headgear during the upcoming bout.
Paul insisted that it was nothing but total hogwash. He said, “Ah, some TikToker made a video, making up all these fake rules. Me and Logan tag team in him. Us wearing headgear. All of this bullsh*t.”
Then, expressing his disappointment in those who end up believing such garbage, Jake Paul said that he will never leave his fans in the lurch. “If you believe that, you’re a fu**ing idiot. You shouldn’t be allowed to go out. You shouldn’t be allowed to drive on the streets and endanger other people. I feel bad for any dumba** who believes that. And I would never let my fans down in a fight like this. And wearing headgear. C’mon now, people,” he said.
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The slide carried a separate message where he seemingly expressed sadness over people putting their faith in anything that the media doles out. Jake Paul wrote, “It is so sad to humans believing anything they see if media now, and as I try to remain optimistic about the state of humanity and IQ levels just always end up being so disappointed.”
Also Read: “It All Started 4 Years Ago”: Jake Paul Explains How Logan Paul Caused Mike Tyson Fight
Gloves Up Across Corners
According to a talkSPORT piece, even Jake Paul’s partner and friend Nakisa Bidarian reportedly confirmed that there won’t be any headgear in the July 20 fight. Later in ‘The MMA Hour’, Ariel Helwani countered Derek Chisora‘s alleged statement on ‘Second Out’ that Paul and Tyson would use 18oz gloves and head guards. He said, “I was told there’s absolutely no headgear involved; this is going to look like your typical boxing match.”
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Outside of the headgear issue, initially, many believed that the fight would be an exhibition. However, per the available sources, it seems that the fight organizers are trying to get it sanctioned as a full-on professional fight. Texas Commission will make the final decision on this. If it turns out to be a professional fight, it would be the first time that Tyson has competed in a sanctioned fight since his June 2005 loss to Kevin McBride.
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What’s your take on the fight? Do you think Mike Tyson should fight Jake Paul, who is 30 years his junior? Please share your views with us in the comments below.