Three years ago, I interviewed Jake Paul.
At that point, he was figuring things out, but he definitely wanted to box. Still a YouTuber and sometime rapper, he was getting his marketing legs under him. At that time, he was fighting on the undercard of the Mike Tyson/Roy Jones, Jr. fight. Paul was still enamored with the Iron Mike and insisted he would never fight the “baddest man on the planet.”
Things have changed. A lot.
The ever-controversial Jake Paul has never shied away from big fights, bold moves and setting ambitious goals. That said, stepping into the ring with Mike Tyson is a whole new level.
Paul talked to AllHipHop about how he arrived at the moment where he felt he could fight “Iron” Mike, the youngest man to ever become heavyweight champion of the world.
In a close room with other journos, he told me he had the vision more than two years ago that planted the seeds for this monumental bout, which takes place Friday (November 15) on Netflix.
“I had the vision that we fought on ayahuasca,” Paul revealed. “That’s when I felt the need to call him and actually tell him about what I had seen, because he’s a spiritual person as well. So I knew he’d understand.”
Oddly, he said was only six months ago that he felt like he could actually beat the legendary Brooklyn pugilist.
This fight goes beyond just competition for Paul; it’s an opportunity to enter the ring with someone he’s admired deeply.
AllHipHop: Back in the day, Larry Holmes fought Muhammad Ali, who he loved and respected. Holmes beat him badly. Then, Tyson fought Holmes and avenged Ali, beating the hell out of Larry Holmes. Ali was his hero as well. Now, here you are fighting one of your heroes. How will you approach that? Will you feel anything emotionally?
Jake Paul: I do now, but come fight night, we’re going to war and I just look at him as someone that’s in my way of everything I want to accomplish. And as much as I love him, he’s trying to knock me out and he will if he gets the opportunity to. And so I’m reciprocating that energy.
Boxing, as entertainment, is in a state of flux. For many purists, Jake Paul is a pariah and a disgrace to the sport. But, his popularity and WWE approach to the sport begs the question: Is Jake Paul necessary for boxing’s survival?
I asked him about this, as a fan of the sport. Gen Alpha and Gen Z don’t have the same historical reverence for boxing the way most Gen X or Millennials may have. Many were not even alive for the last real Mike Tyson fight, much less know about his unprecedented run.
AllHipHop: A lot of us came up on Mike Tyson, Millennials and Gen X and obviously, further back like Muhammad, Floyd Mayweather. Jake, you resonate with Gen Alpha and Gen Z. From a boxing perspective, from a legacy perspective, what do you feel like you’re bringing to the sport and the future of boxing?
Jake Paul: Yeah, man. Just excitement, excitement. Big fights, big knockouts. You know a lot of fighters go in there and they have boring ass fights like Floyd Mayweather. And, I’ve brought in a lot of excitement to the sport, knocking people out in the biggest platforms possible. Going against the biggest names and making matchups the fans want to see. Crossover MMA fights – things like that. Fighting other massive names in the sports, so I’m gonna continue to do the biggest fights, the biggest pay-per-views, the biggest streams across the board. And just continue to push myself, and I think people resonate with my content and just promotional ability.
The stray shot at Floyd Mayweather caused some in the crowd at the live press conference at the Toyota Music Center to boo. This is exactly what Jake Paul wants, as his approach to promotion evokes professional wrestling tactics.
This unique dynamic—conventional and disruptive—brings everybody to the party in a way that escapes traditional boxing. How many casuals tuned in to see Boots Ennis fight last week? This event, much like Mike Tyson at his meteoric height, unifies the die-hard and casual fight fan.
For Jake Paul, the journey to this fight is spiritual, mental, physical and—as the promoter—financial. He and Mike Tyson will take home millions.
But Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson is more than just about money. It’s a crossroads for both men and the entire sport, which is in an existential moment.
