1 week Ago By Fraser Watson
So Mike Tyson’s controversial return to professional boxing proved to be everything that the boxing purists feared. An aggressive burst at the opening ball, followed by a lacklustre display in which the fighter once so feared resembled a sitting duck as he stumbled tamely around the ring. The tedious bout, which Jake Paul took by a unanimous decision , prompted jeers from much of the 70,000-strong crowd in the AT&T Stadium in Texas, with many leaving the arena before the closing stages .
But while Tyson’s boxing legacy was dealt a blow, the 58-year-old’s bank balance was immeasurably boosted. The former heavyweight champion of the world spent much of the build-up insisting his ring return was not motivated by money, but a desire to prove himself again. However, following years of financial strife, the sums on offer would inevitably have been a factor in him agreeing to fight the YouTuber.
While neither boxer has confirmed the exact figures, ‘Iron Mike’ reportedly made just short of £16million for the clash, equating to around £1m a minute. Paul , whose ability to promote himself has long outweighed his actual ability, was said to have walked away with more than £31m. Indeed, ‘The Problem Child’ had previously been candid about his reasons for targeting Tyson, saying: "This is definitely my biggest payday, of all the fights for sure.
" And he also implied the pair would also receive ample bonuses, leading to speculation that Tyson would earn more if he managed to go the distance. "There are definitely certain guaranteed figures and other certain built-in bonuses and stuff on top of sales – key performance indicators that trigger certain things,” added the 27-year-old. But while Paul was magnanimous in the immediate aftermath of his drab win, he was soon mocking the icon in his post-fight press conference.
Sitting alongside promoter Nakisa Bidarian, he claimed he fulfilled his promise to outbox Tyson from start to finish. “I mean, what do people say?” he asked. “I told everyone what I was going to do.
And that was to give him a boxing lesson.” Bidarian also stuck the boot in, saying: “It was an unbelievable display, between a 58-year-old legend and a relatively young 27-year-old boxer. And he (pointing at Paul) actually outboxed the boxer.
Jake Paul outboxed Mike Tyson like he said he was going to do, did he not? Every single round.” Regardless, fans and pundits alike have reacted with cynicism, and urged Tyson to now stay away from the ring. But straight after his loss, the veteran called out Paul’s brother Logan , prompting concerns he will again put his health at risk for another financial windfall.
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