By Sean Crose
Even though fans of exhibition boxing are looking forward to the supposed fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on November 15th, former welterweight champ Shawn Porter doubts the match will happen. Speaking on The Porter Way podcast, Porter said, “I hate to break it to you, we won’t ever see Mike Tyson face Jake Paul…I’m not the decision-maker, but I just don’t see Mike stepping into the ring.” Porter finds the idea of a Tyson-Paul bout unreasonable. “I just can’t see it occurring,” he continued. “It didn’t seem logical to me, even from a business perspective.”
Porter, a Cleveland native, enjoyed a successful career, holding the IBF and WBC welterweight titles at different times. He emerged victorious against notable rivals like Paulie Malignaggi, Andre Berto, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, and Yordenis Ugas. Despite defeats to elite fighters such as Terence Crawford, Keith Thurman, Errol Spence, and Kell Brook, Porter’s expertise in the sport lends credibility to his insights and analysis.
“I think,” he stated, “that Mike and Jake, on all levels, didn’t make sense.” While opinions may differ on the sensibility of the match, some share Porter’s perspective. Tyson will be nearing sixty in November, having won his first heavyweight title almost four decades ago. Furthermore, the fight was postponed due to Tyson’s health problems, including an inflamed ulcer. There are justified grounds for Tyson to be prevented from returning to the ring.
Nevertheless, Tyson’s legacy endures long after his prime. The notion of the aging fighter coming back to face a youthful and flashy opponent like Paul is surprising yet captivating. While Paul may not be considered a boxing great, he possesses determination, discipline, improved skills, and formidable power. Against a man in his fifties, Paul poses a genuine threat.
