Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will step into the ring on November 15 in Texas. The match between the 58-year-old boxing legend and the young YouTube star turned boxer has got people talking.
Tyson hung up his gloves in 2005, saying he'd lost his love for the sport. Now, almost 20 years later, he's making a comeback against Paul, who's got youth and recent fighting experience on his side.
The fight will be eight rounds of two minutes each. It's a pro bout but with softer rules to keep things safer.
Bernard Hopkins, a Hall of Fame fighter who's now a promoter, had some strong words about the match at first. Back in March, he told Fight Hub TV he wasn't a fan of the idea.
"I don't like it. I look at Mike different in the way of my era, like people looked at Ali. And I looked at Ali different too, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Robinson," Hopkins said. "I think it's become more of a sideshow, with some sweat, maybe some blood if we lucky. I won't watch it. I could watch two turtles race and be more excited … It's because of how I look at Mike Tyson. I shared, not only the ring with Mike Tyson a few times, but the era. Right? A little tip of the era. I just think it degrades him."
Hopkins felt the fight would harm Tyson's legacy and called it degrading. He even said he'd rather watch turtles race.
But recently, Hopkins changed his tune. In a new chat with Fight Hub TV, he saw things differently:
"I think it's a great way of showing the world that entertainment. What I've done and what I'm promoting right now [through] Golden Boy and my partner Oscar De La Hoya is entertainment. This is entertainment but it's also boxing on the highest, dangerous level. You can't copy that in any way or pretending. You don't pretend in this sport. You play basketball, you play football, you play hockey, you play soccer, you play golf, but you don't play boxing. Boxing is a sport you don't play."
Hopkins now sees the fight as entertainment. He thinks either fighter could win if they use the right game plan. But he doesn't expect it to be as intense as a regular boxing match.
"I think either of them can beat each other if they have the right strategy and go in with the right intent to actually beat each other up and make it what people believe it is. But I don't think they're gonna go all the way out. I think it's gonna be sweat, maybe some blood, but I don't think that it's gonna be something we're used to seeing if you're saying it's boxing. But if it's entertainment, you're gonna get what you supposed to get."
Hopkins isn't shocked that the fight got professional sanctioning. He's been in boxing since 1988 and says nothing in the sport surprises him anymore.
Paul and Tyson are set to face off on November 15 in Texas. As the date gets closer, more people will likely weigh in on this unique boxing event.
