Mike Tyson whipped his open-palmed right hand across Paul’s face at the weigh-in before their wild and weird and puzzling event.
At midfield in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Based on social media reaction, the slap fueled excitement but also speculation that the fight is less than legitimate. But there’ll be no slapping when the gloves go on during an odd pairing.
Shadasia Green def. Melinda Watpool by split decision
In the closest fight of the prelims, Shadasia Green beat Melinda Watpool by split decision to win the WBO super middleweight title.
The scores: 97-93 Green, 96-94 Green, and 96-94 Watpool.
The fight was so close because both fighters were super technical and smart. Green, early in the bout, was the more aggressive fighter. But it was Watpool who finished with more punching flurries.
Jake Paul (10-1), whose résumé includes YouTube celebrity, marketer and prizefighter, will face former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson (50-6) in a sanctioned eight-round bout. It’s a marketing event for the ages, as Paul is the young up-and-comer, who started fighting professionally in January 2020, building his record against former UFC fighters and fellow YouTubers.
Tyson’s legacy is set, but he’s also 58 years old, so a win is far from certain. Paul also has a longer reach and stands three inches taller than Tyson.
The fight will be a bit different than a typical heavyweight bout. Rounds will last just two minutes instead of the traditional three. And both fighters will wear 14-ounce gloves instead of the traditional 10-ounce ones.
When is the last time Mike Tyson fought?
Tyson hasn’t fought in an official bout since 2005, when he was downed in the sixth round by a TKO from Kevin McBride. He hasn’t been in the ring since Nov. 28, 2020, when he met Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition. That fight was declared a draw.
Wasn’t the Paul vs. Tyson fight supposed to happen months ago?
It was! Paul and Tyson were originally set to meet on July 20, but Tyson had to cancel after he became ill. His team later cited an “ulcer problem” that landed him in the hospital.
What is the undercard for Paul vs. Tyson?
Katie Taylor (23-1) vs. Amanda Serrano (47-2-1); WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF junior welterweight titles
Mario Barrios (29-2) vs. Abel Ramos (28-6-2); WBC welterweight title
Neeraj Goyat (18-4-2) vs. Whindersson Nunes (debut)
Preliminary fights (will stream on Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix Sports’ YouTube channels)
Jake Paul is also no slouch, as the litany of over-the-hill fighters he has “defeated” in these exhibitions all have attested to his talents. It’s really not a wild notion to suggest that a rich guy with a lot of free time on his hands can hire experts to help him become a serious athlete, and Jake Paul has developed genuine boxing skills that add to the credibility he and his army of youthful eyeballs bring to the sport. His vision of boxing is still more spectacle than skill, and I don’t know where the sport is going, but if you told me that a decade from now there was a dominant UFC-style boxing promotion run by the Pauls, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least bit. The future looks a lot more like Jake Paul and Donald Trump than anyone thought it would.
Paul vs Tyson LIVE: Undercard updates as Shadasia Green fights Melinda Watpool
The pace has slowed a little, but not the intensity, if that makes sense; the offence is a bit more sluggish, but both women are gritting their way through these late rounds.
Into the final frame, and Watpool lands a punch she’s landed a fair bit in recent rounds – a sneaky jab at the end of a combination.
Green with a moment of success now, however, landing while going backwards.