Ever since the Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul fight made the news, almost everyone’s been asking ‘Why?’ Why is Tyson, 57, taking on Paul, 27? With Netflix set to stream the bout in Arlington, Texas, most felt it would be an exhibition match, with money being the driving force. But less than a week ago, Most Valuable Promotions confirmed the encounter “will officially be a sanctioned, professional fight by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations.” So now, professional records are at stake. And as July 20 gets ever closer, Chael Sonnen couldn’t help but suggest that Tyson will have something to worry about.

Tyson, once the most feared fighter in the world, has not fought professionally since hanging up his gloves in 2005 following his TKO loss to Kevin McBride (his 2020 bout against Roy Jones Jr. being an exhibition) and suffers from many health issues, including shot knees. This means he is three decades older than Paul, who is in his athletic prime and coming off three wins in the last year alone.

This gulf has predictably earned almost unequivocal scorn from the fight world as a mere money grab. But not for Chael Sonnen, who compared Mike Tyson to Conor McGregor in one particular aspect. On his YouTube channel, Sonnen discussed what’s set to be a fight with eight two-minute rounds. One particular cause of concern for Mike Tyson could be the one thing McGregor has been fighting for quite some time – endurance.

At UFC 303 on June 29, Conor McGregor will be back in the Octagon against Michael Chandler after 3 years following what could’ve been a career-ending injury. As such, many questions are being raised about whether he can even compete against the top guys anymore. And they’re all to do with his historically poor gas tank, which will likely have declined further over the past three years.

Chael Sonnen thinks these concerns about their ability to make it to the final bell are something McGregor and Mike Tyson have in common as they gear up to make their much-awaited comebacks. This, ‘Uncle Chael’ believes, will motivate both men to try to knock out their respective opponents quickly. He explained, “Two-minute rounds is what Mike did when he took on Roy [Jones Jr]. Mike was completely exhausted. A combat athlete’s biggest fear is exhaustion. So if you’re a guy like Mike Tyson, it’s the same situation that Conor McGregor is going into with Michael Chandler.”

That 2020 fight against Roy Jones Jr ended in a contentious draw, commenting on which Sonnen said, “When you found out the commission was not going to sanction that, Stevie Wonder could see that fight was going to end in a draw.” However, it was competitive throughout. That perhaps may have been because it was an exhibition, where an exhausted Tyson seemed to be sparring with Junior in the last few rounds instead of landing the knockout punch. But the bottom line was that he looked visibly fatigued.

Considering this, Sonnen described what Tyson and McGregor’s mindsets would be going into their respective bouts. “‘I can’t go to a decision and win, and I don’t give a damn about moral victories. I’m going to give you everything I got, and I’m going to get you out of here. Or I’m going to be done, I’m going to be shot,'” the UFC analyst said.

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Sonnen felt that since Tyson and Paul would fight for eight two-minute rounds, with a minute of rest in between, the fears of Tyson getting exhausted would not be as severe as they would have been if they had decided to go with the standard three-minute rounds. But, given Tyson’s advanced age and health problem, he felt ‘Iron Mike’s’ best bet was an early knockout, just like McGregor. But despite all the disadvantages, Sonnen is one of the few people in the combat sports world who has picked Tyson to beat Paul.

Sonnen was surprised about Jake Paul being the favorite against Mike Tyson

Chael Sonnen has maintained that Mike Tyson’s natural size advantage (‘Iron Mike’ is a heavyweight, while Paul has fought between middleweight and cruiserweight in his boxing career), as well as historically great skills and technique in the ring, would be too much for Paul to handle.

This is why the UFC analyst, who grew up in the mean streets of West Lynn, Oregon, was surprised that Paul was going into the bout as the betting favorite. “It makes for a very interesting match when DraftKings gives and nudges Jake Paul slight favorite over greatly experienced and oversized Mike Tyson,” Sonnen mentioned.

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Despite their mismatch, at least on paper, Sonnen felt that the reputation-sullying stakes of the bout made it a “fascinating” affair. “Mike does not want to lose; Jake cannot lose. Mike’s reputation, everything is going to change. Jake’s career comes to a screeching halt. It’s very fascinating,” he added.

What do you think about Sonnen comparing Tyson and McGregor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.