SUMMARY
- Mike Tyson is all set to return to professional boxing as takes on Jake Paul.
- However, Paul's size advantage may not be a huge factor in the bout.
Mike Tyson will be returning to the boxing ring once again in 2024. In what was one of the most surprising announcements of the year, it was revealed that Tyson will be facing the internet sensation Jake Paul. As such, the boxing legend once against finds himself in a position he has been in, numerous times throughout his career.
For those unaware, Mike Tyson is often hailed as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. A living legend in his own right, ‘Iron Mike’ captivated audiences around the world with his performances in his heyday. Reigning as an undisputed champion from 1987 to 1990, he was rightfully heralded as “The Baddest Man on the Planet” by all.
Who get’s the W?
Paul vs Tyson is officially a sanctioned professional heavyweight bout. Who puts another W on their record on Saturday, July 20th?
–#PaulTyson
Saturday, July 20
AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX
Live on @Netflix pic.twitter.com/JeYATVHllg— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) April 29, 2024
Having closed out his professional career with a 50-6 record, his return at the age of 57 was nothing anybody could have possibly imagined. However, despite the varying thoughts and feelings of many people, Mike will once again step inside the ring and face an opponent who is younger and bigger than him. That said, it is something that will likely not faze him too much.
How has Mike Tyson fared against bigger opponents throughout his career?
For the most part, Mike Tyson has been the smaller man in most of his professional fights. In fact, according to some reports, only one man was smaller than Tyson across his 56-fight career. Notably, Orlin Norris, whom Tyson faced in 1999, standing at 5 feet and 9 and a half inches, was the only man smaller than him. Whilst it is difficult to find the exact measurements for some of his opponents, Norris is seemingly the only such case.
Aside from that, the rest of Iron Mike’s opponents ranged from 6 feet, all the way up to 6 feet 6 inches. As such, opponents like David Jaco, Eddie Richardson, and Kevin McBride were the tallest opponents that Mike faced. Apart from McBride, Tyson brutally finished the other two opponents. Moreover, he continued the same against most of his opponents who stood at 6 feet 5 inches, with the exception of Lennox Lewis, whom Tyson infamously lost to.
That said, Buster Douglas (6′3 1/2″) and Evander Holyfield (6′2 1/2″) were some of the other notable names to beat Tyson. However, it must be considered, that size alone did not play a factor in these fights. After all, Tyson had already demonstrated his ability to get inside the reach of innumerable rangier opponents and dish out damage to the body. Often, this would be followed up by a devastating uppercut, or a thunderous hook.
How does Jake Paul stack up against Mike Tyson?
Ahead of the fight against Jake Paul, many have once again highlighted the difference in height and size between the two fighters. Despite fighting at cruiserweight for most of his career, Paul is the bigger man, standing at 6 ft 1 in tall with a reach of around 76 inches. At the same time, Mike Tyson stands at 5 ft 10 in tall, having a reach of around 71 inches.
Thus, there is a clear disparity which will also follow over when it comes to their weight. For the most part, Mike Tyson has weighed in at around the 219 lbs mark whereas according to rumors, Jake Paul is currently weighing 230 lbs and intends to keep going higher. In their recent press conference, the two also face to face wherein the discrepancy was clear as day. That said, hardly anyone believes that height or weight will play a role come fight day.
Seeing that Mike Tyson will be 58 years old at the time, he will need to rely on whatever movement and power he still has within him. On the other hand, Jake’s boxing prowess has come leaps and bounds over the years, and Mike, who has watched him closely, will be more familiar than most. As such, it will all come down to who can come in with a better game plan and execute it as efficiently as possible.