Iron Mike vs. YouTube Star: Mike Tyson and Jake Paul at 18 as fierce ‘Beasts’ Compared to a Disney Sweetheart
Former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are set to fight in a blockbuster clash streamed on Netflix this summer – but they went down very different paths to the fight
Fans were amazed to see how different Mike Tyson and Jake Paul appeared aged 18 ahead of their much anticipated showdown this summer.
For some time, Paul has suggested a clash with Tyson could be on the cards in the future – and the bout was sensationally announced last month. It is expected to generate immense revenue, with the showdown set to be aired on streaming service Netflix.
Earlier this month, Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the July 20 contest. Paul, who recently defeated Ryan Bourland with a dominant KO, has already fought a whole host of big names including UFC stars Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Ben Askren but has been criticised for failing to get in the ring with boxing naturals.
The YouTuber’s only loss came against Tommy Fury, losing on points to the young Brit. But Paul is now set to fight the iconic Tyson – who became the youngest heavyweight champion in history aged 20. While Paul has come a long way since his teenage Disney Channel days, he looked far different to Tyson back then.
At 18 years of age, Tyson and Paul looked very different – and they were doing very different things. The boxing legend made his professional debut at that age in March 1985, comfortably defeating Hector Mercedes in a first-round knockout before crushing Trent Singleton, Don Halpin and Ricardo Spain to move to a 4-0 record before his 19th birthday.
Meanwhile, Paul had built a following as an influencer on now-defunct social media app Vine. He tallied 5.3 million followers and over two billion views before continuing to grow his fans on YouTube.
In 2015, Disney Channel hired Paul to star in Bizaardvar. He appeared in two series of the TV show, thus kickstarting a brief acting career before exploding as an internet personality.
The emergence of the side-by-side images of the two boxers ahead of their fight stunned fans with Tyson displaying a frightening deadpan stare as he flexed muscles, while baby-faced Paul is seen riding a bike on the red carpet at a Disney Channel premiere.
“Mike Tyson’s neck is bigger than Jake’s whole head,” one fan wrote, with another adding: “Mike is a beast.” Others also spoke about the pic, writing: “Without a doubt, Mike Tyson was an unstoppable force and would have undoubtedly emerged victorious, no matter which way the situation played out” – but one gave credit to Paul for his transformation by adding: “Gotta admit though. Jake has changed A LOT since then. “He is effectively a boxer now. Not much of a clown anymore.”
Some fans have expressed concerns to Tyson’s health ahead of his return to the squared circle, partuclarly with their immense age gap. The 57-year-old was seen in a 2022 video using a support cane and wheelchair, leading to people to condemn the fight – including UFC star Conor McGregor.
“Oh jeez,” McGregor said when asked by Happy Punch for his thoughts on the fight. “It’s a bit strange, you know. My interest is low. I don’t know. I don’t understand it. I wish well for Mike [Tyson].” Paul, who boasts a 9-1 record (6 KOs), will face Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) on 20th July at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
