Jake Paul knows how to sell a fight and has mastered the art of tilting the fans’ focus on himself. From pulling a marketing stunt in a body suit to splashing cash and narrating his boxing journey, he is trying to strike a chord with the fans. But one tactic that raised many eyebrows was his bet of $5 million to Mike Tyson.

Paul, 27, and Tyson, 58, will fight it out this November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The event streamed live on Netflix, will leave both boxers wealthy by at least $20 million. But ‘Iron Mike’ can earn an extra $5 million if he fulfills one condition.

Jake Paul makes a huge bet on himself against Mike Tyson

Paul, at 10-1, turned to his social media handles and offered to pay his opponent a lump sum of $5 million if he survived more than 4 rounds with him. But if the former heavyweight champion failed to fulfill it, he must get a tattoo that declares, “I love Jake Paul”. Stacking a bundle of cash on his bodysuit, he had said, “If you last more than 4 rounds with me, I’ll give you an extra $5 million. But if you don’t, then you have to get a tattoo that says ‘I love Jake Paul’.”

This wager even received endorsement from Amanda Serrano, as it added another layer of excitement to the already buzz-creating encounter. But it also raised some ethical questions about its validity.

Erik Magraken, a Canadian boxing judge and lawyer, first raised these questions as he turned to his X handle and shed light on the bet’s effect on the fight and how it could be misused. In addition, the Canadian lawyer explained the situation from a regulator’s perspective. He wrote, “Jake Paul ‘betting Mike Tyson $5 million if he makes it past the 4th seems like Jake saying- Don’t try to KO me in the early rounds. If I was a regulator I’d have questions.” And he wasn’t the only one.

What did the Texas Commission (TDLR) say about Paul’s $5 million bet?

Lou DiBella also wondered how such a bet would be allowed and asked whether there were no state regulations in place to control such wagers. He also pointed out the fight’s professional nature and the legal sports books and campaigned for the bet to be prohibited. His comment read, “C’mon now! Is there no state regulation? If this is a professional bout, with legal sportsbooks taking action on it, this kind of “side bet” has to be prohibited. PERIOD. #boxing”

When Magraken approached the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the state commission didn’t find any objections to the bet. Instead, they labeled it as a private agreement by a licensed contestant and gave the bet a go-ahead.

This didn’t sit well with Magraken, who then expressed his discontent with the response, citing the optics of such a bet. He wrote, “Texas says this is a professional bout. Not an exhibition. You can (wager) on it. If you have a real sporting event with attempted side deals that can impact its outcome that’s not a good look.”

Therefore, the sidequest stays on and will be legal in the fight between Paul and Tyson. But the question is whether the former world champion was keen to take it. It seems the number quoted was too low for him.

Mike Tyson responds to Paul’s side bet

As soon as ‘Problem Child’ made the wager public, it spread like wildfire and soon reached Tyson’s ears. However, the Brooklyn native brushed it aside. In a conversation with USA TODAY Sports, he poked fun at his foe and predicted Paul not to take him head-on and fight him. He then demanded a $20 million wager amount and said, “He should offer more. Tell him probably about 20 (million).”

The situation as it currently stands is that the bet of $5 million is legal and would have added another level of intrigue to the fight. But Tyson is not interested, and therefore, the bet is off as of now.

What do you make of this $5 million bet between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul? Let us know in the comments below.