Jake Paul Claims: ‘I Believe I Hit Harder Than Mike Tyson’ Ahead of Epic Boxing Showdown
Despite facing one of the hardest punchers in boxing history, Jake Paul is confident in how his skills matchup against Mike Tyson ahead of their July 20 bout.
“Everyone else is underestimating me, and I believe that I hit harder,” Paul said during a pre-fight press conference in New York on Monday. “I know it’s gonna be tough, I know I’m gonna have to fight through adversity, I know I might even go to the canvas. I’m scared, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not about the fear stopping me. It’s about going into it even though I am scared, and that’s what true bravery is.”
Paul will have the benefit of youth on his side when he faces the legendary former heavyweight champion. The 27-year-old is 31 years younger than Tyson, who will be 58 when the fight takes place this summer at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Paul has also been the more active of the two main events. He followed up a first-round knockout of Andre August in December with a first-round TKO of Ryan Bourland in March. Of his nine career wins, six of them have come by knockout.
The former YouTuber acknowledged Tyson’s punching power, but he was still confident in his own abilities, saying, “They call him ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, but I’m ‘Titanium’ Jake Paul.”
Tyson and Paul will be fighting in a sanctioned match with eight two-minute rounds and 14-ounce gloves. The fight will count toward both of their professional records. It will be the first combat sports event to be streamed live on Netflix.
Paul is hoping he will be able to deliver on his promises when he faces Tyson. He is entering the fight as the betting favorite, so the pressure is on him to live up to those expectations and back up his own lofty declarations.
