58-year-old Mike Tyson is all set to take on Jake Paul on November 15 in a highly exciting boxing clash. The pair was previously scheduled to fight each other on July 20, but Tyson pulled out of the clash in the final stages. The former heavyweight champion has been struggling with his health for quite some time now. An ulcer flare-up prevented ‘Iron’ from taking on ‘The Problem Child’ on July 20. However, with new dates announced, the fans are excited to witness the legend back in action. But can the 58-year-old draw in crowds the way he used to do in his prime? A former UFC fighter doesn’t quite feel so as he shared his honest opinion on the ticket sales.
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul’s fight since the time announcement has caught the attention of many out there. One of the biggest concerns is the massive age difference between the pair, which will play a role in the fight. Tyson, who once used to drop his opponents left, right, and center, is way past his prime. However, the former heavyweight champion still has a lot of fans who want to see him fight again. But Chael Sonnen feels Tyson’s fandom will not be sufficient to draw in crowds for the night.
Tyson’s last fight against Roy Jones Jr. generated more than $80 million after it sold 1.6 million pay-per-view buys. Despite such impressive numbers, Sonnen doesn’t have the confidence this time around. The 47-year-old recently took to his YouTube channel to give a brutal update about what he thinks about the clash. Sonnen, who is known for his honest opinion, said, “I also knew if they go and they follow through with this Dallas and Jerry stadium. And this whole bit, they’re are going to look like fools.”
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Tyson and Paul reunited on August 18 and faced off at the inaugural Fanatics Fest NYC, followed by a press conference, and seemed super excited for the clash. Sonnen, on the other hand, made it completely clear that no matter what they do, the fight will not draw in 80,000 fans at the AT&T stadium.
He added, “It would not matter if it was $10 a ticket or two tickets for $10. You ever seen those you bring a can of soup and a kid gets in for. You could do anything you wanted 80,000 people do not show up to Dallas stadium to watch that match.” He will now have to wait till November 15 to find out whether his predictions turn out to be true or not.
Another former UFC fighter, Ben Askren, has also made some predictions for the fight. Let us take a look at what he had to say.
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Ben Askren points out the deciding factor between Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight
Former social media influencer Jake Paul has impressed one and all with his recent performances inside the boxing ring. The 27-year-old is fresh off a victory against Mike Perry on July 20. Paul displayed exceptional power when he dropped Perry three times before finishing him in the sixth round. However, his upcoming opponent is a man who is way past his brutal best but still can cause an upset.
While Joe Rogan believes Tyson is not like a regular 58-year-old and can knock Paul’s head out, Ben Askren doesn’t quite agree with it. He recently sat down for a chat with Daniel Cormier on his YouTube and shared his honest opinion on the clash. The former UFC fighter pointed out that the deciding factor would not be the power, but rather the stamina. At 58, Tyson might still have the power with him, but fighting for eight rounds is something that he will have to look out for.
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Askren said, “I just feel like 58 is… Probably the one thing you probably retain is the power. So, it’s probably Mike Tyson needs to catch him. But the gas tank and all the other things to go along with it are definitely going downhill, especially when you haven’t been doing it very competitively.”
Looking at the training video of ‘Iron’ makes it clear that the former champion is looking for a knockout victory. However, his biggest challenge would be to match the 27-year-old in terms of speed and endurance. Can Mike Tyson pull off an upset when he takes on Jake Paul on November 15? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.