One may argue that Mike Tyson is a name bigger than the sport of boxing. Even two decades after retirement, the former heavyweight champion remains a global superstar among the biggest, most revered icons in the sport, so much so that Netflix enlisted him to fight Jake Paul in what will be the streaming platform’s live sporting event debut on November 11.

However, the bout has come under almost universal criticism, mainly because of the three-decade difference in the two men’s ages. ‘Iron Mike’, of course, last fought in a professional bout almost twenty years ago and suffers from a host of health issues. On the other hand, Paul is 28 and in the athletic prime of his life. This is why most are not even expecting the fight to be close.

But, Joe Rogan pointed out recently that while Tyson is 58 years old and has all of the disadvantages and handicaps of being that old, he still had the power to knock out Paul if, that is, he could catch him. And while UFC commentator and former champion Daniel Cormier does agree with Rogan as far as Tyson’s power goes, he isn’t sold that Tyson has much of a chance. Why? Paul is athletically in far far better shape than ‘Iron Mike’, and has proven in his previous fight with Mike Perry that he can get out of tough situations.

“He’s [Rogan is] saying doesn’t matter the age, if Mike catches you, he can knock you out… I understand… and I do agree that the way Mike looks on those pads when he is hitting pads of Raphael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in there,” Cormier said.

‘DC’ pointed out that while Paul had dominated the early rounds of his Perry fight, the BKFC star had made a comeback and started to gain momentum in the middle rounds. However, ‘The Problem Child’ was able to get through this tricky situation, mostly because of his youth and athleticism, according to Cormier, and then knocked out Perry in the sixth round. And ‘DC’ felt that Tyson, by his advanced age, doesn’t have the same type of ability or ‘reserve’ as Paul to get through a tough situation in the ring.

“But then I watch Jake Paul fighting Mike Perry and I watch Jake Paul get pressed to where he starts to feel uncomfortable. And it looked like Mike Perry had a chance but then Jake has a reserve tank to go to and get and draw from because he’s 28 years old. And then he comes back and he ultimately finishes Mike Perry… As the fight went longer Jake Paul draws on this reserve, finishes Mike Perry… That is my concern because what if this thing looks like a 58y old man fighting a 28y old man when Mike can’t draw from that reserve to stay and compete with this young kid?” Cormier asked co-host Ben Askren on their podcast on YouTube. However, the UFC commentator felt that even if Paul was to win, it wouldn’t help his popularity one bit.

Cormier sees Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson as a ‘lose-lose’ for ‘The Problem Child’

Daniel Cormier also presciently observed that Jake Paul, whether he wins or loses, will be even more hated after the Tyson fight than he is now. If ‘The Problem Child’ should lose to Tyson at 58, he will be trolled to no end and lose all credibility in the fight world. But even if things were to go Paul’s way and he wins, there is nothing to be gained.

In fact, as Cormier pointed out, Paul will only find his stocks in the fight fans plummeting since Tyson is almost universally loved in the entire combat sports world. “I think it’s a lose-lose for Jake Paul because if you beat up Mike Tyson, everybody loves Mike Tyson,” Cormier told Askren.

Of course, Mike Tyson is Mike Tyson, one of the greatest ever to lace up the gloves. And with his championship pedigree and devastating power, still very much a threat. However, Father Time remains undefeated and a 58-year-old Tyson realistically has little chance of winning save for a quick knockout.

What are your predictions for Tyson-Paul?