Insider Says Mike Tyson’s Fate Is Sealed Against Jake Paul Due to Surprisingly Simple Reason

The world is divided on whether Jake Paul can defeat Mike Tyson. While some say Paul’s youth will prove too much for Tyson, others are sure Tyson’s experience and power will overcome the 31-year age gap. However, Chael Sonnen seems to have a clear idea why ‘The Problem Child’ will emerge victorious when he eventually fights Tyson on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

Paul, at 27, has faced off against multiple opponents, though many would argue they were past their prime, save for Tommy Fury, against whom Paul suffered a loss. Comparatively, ‘Iron’ Mike’s last professional appearance in the ring was in 2005 against Kevin McBride, resulting in a sixth-round stoppage loss. Drawing parallels to McBride’s victory, the former UFC light heavyweight fighter during a YouTube video asserted a clear victory for Jake Paul.

Sonnen thinks Jake Paul would beat Kevin McBride

McBride might have been Tyson’s last opponent, but Tyson made an appearance against Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition in 2020, which was declared a split-decision draw. Still, Sonnen’s prediction for the fight doesn’t appear to have been swayed by that fight. Reflecting on the Jones fight, Sonnen said, “I thought Mike went out and looked very good against Roy Jones.”

However, Sonnen thinks Tyson’s performance against ‘The Clones Colossus’ is proof that Paul would get the better of his soon-to-be 58-year-old opponent. Why? Per the former UFC light heavyweight fighter, “Kevin McBride, back then that beat the hell [out of Mike Tyson] and sent [him] into retirement. If that version of Kevin McBride vs. Jake Paul fought right now, Jake Paul would beat him.”

Sonnen argued that if Paul could beat a prime McBride, people would have to agree that Paul stands a splendid chance of beating Tyson today, who has barely fought in the last two decades. However, there’s an argument to be made about the two-minute round rule, which will favor Tyson, helping him conserve stamina, and allowing him to burst into action without being out of breath. And that’s what a former world champion boxer is counting on when Paul and Tyson do fight. 

Timothy Bradley has a knockout dream

There’s no denying that Sonnen has a wealth of experience when it comes to combat, but boxing can be a bit tricky and surprising. So, who better to predict the outcome of a fight better than someone who has been there and done that? According to a conversation with Fox News, Timothy Bradley doesn’t see any hurdles in Tyson’s path to victory, especially after the introduction of the new rules. 

“Mike Tyson, knock his a** out, baby! It can happen. Two minutes is going to favor Mike Tyson… banging him to the body, hitting him with power shots,” said the former champion. Bradley has fought the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas, so he thinks two minutes is plenty of time for Tyson to knock out the “Disney boy.”

Moreover, Tyson himself has previously explained that he wanted shorter rounds to deliver more action in the ring, stating, “If we have shorter rounds, we’ll fight more. More action.” Yet Tyson is running the risk of muddying his legacy in the sport, and only the fight will determine whether Tyson will be able to weather Paul’s youth. 

Sonnen’s view of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight is indeed a unique one—yet McBride had 37 professional fights under his belt when he fought Tyson. Something Jake Paul doesn’t have—could that alone take Mike Tyson to a victory? Hard to say, but as always, people are divided. Sonnen feels it will be a win for Jake Paul while Bradley thinks Tyson will knock out Paul. Who are you cheering for?