Combat sports fans are just a month away from witnessing the highly anticipated return of boxing legend Mike Tyson, who will fight for his honor against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The event is set to take place at AT&T Stadium in Texas and will stream live on Netflix. Initially, the fight was scheduled for the summer, but due to serious health issues that emerged during Tyson’s flight, it was delayed to November 15.

Even though the fight is still weeks away, it is garnering significant attention from MMA pundits, including former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen, who recently revealed a shocking detail about the Tyson vs. Paul bout that could alarm Team Tyson significantly. In his latest YouTube video, Sonnen highlighted Jake Paul’s anticipated projected earnings, disclosed back in August at a press conference in New York City, which could pose a headache for a veteran like Mike Tyson.

Last month, Jake Paul claimed, “I’m here to make $40 million and knock out a legend,” a particularly jarring statement, especially when someone like Tyson chooses to fight to earn a lucrative income in his sixties after retiring, while Jake Paul sits on a mountain of wealth.

Sonnen believes this will be a big issue and stated, “Earlier in the week, we had Jake Paul come out, and they broke down his numbers. He’s coming in at a $40 million guarantee. That’s not good news for your team, Mike. I’m telling you right now, that’s going to be a problem; they’re going to want to look at that. When you have the inability for the biggest fight of all time, that’s not going to be good news for everybody involved.”

However, while Jake Paul may be earning more money than Tyson, Jake Paul’s arch-nemesis Dana White recently expressed his belief that Tyson would be the key to the success of the upcoming Netflix event, despite Jake Paul’s popularity among Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Dana White hones in on Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

Back in 2020, when Jake Paul stepped into professional boxing, no one ever thought that he would become known for more than just his boxing skills. Paul’s business acumen has propelled him to become a big name in the combat sports world. Despite never fighting anyone around his age (except once against Tommy Fury), Paul has now reached a significant audience. His advisor, Nakisa Bidarian, opened up about his strategy for building Jake Paul’s popularity while speaking to a Hollywood reporter. He claimed, “I saw a unique opportunity to create a direct-to-consumer relationship in fight sports,” highlighting Paul’s appeal among the new generation of fans.

However, UFC head honcho Dana White does not share the same sentiment. According to him, when Jake Paul squares off against Mike Tyson in their upcoming boxing match, Tyson will be the one drawing maximum pay-per-view numbers. While speaking on the YMH Studios podcast, he stated, “Listen, he’s been very strategic in his career, making sure he handpicks the right guys. And if this one actually happens, Tyson’s the Golden Goose,” dismissing the idea of Jake Paul’s popularity.

What are your thoughts on Chael Sonnen’s remark? Do you believe that even if Jake Paul is getting more money than Mike Tyson, it will cause trouble for his reputation? Share your opinion below.