Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul: Fight or 'Circus' Stunt?

Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will feature what the New York Times calls a "bizarre" boxing match: a famous 58-year-old veteran boxer versus a famous jacked-up 27-year-old YouTuber. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson faces off in a professional match against social media influencer Jake Paul, who started out as an amateur boxer in 2018 before going pro in 2020. Paul, who hopefully has sturdy ears, has a 10-1 record, while Iron Mike retired from boxing in 2005 with a 50-6 record. The Times notes that "millions" are expected to watch this "generational showdown," streamed for free to Netflix subscribers. Three other fights will kick off the evening starting at 8pm ET, with the main event to follow. More:

• The fight: The match is made up of eight two-minute rounds instead of a dozen or so three-minute rounds, per NBC News. Paul and Tyson will also wear 14-ounce gloves instead of the standard 10-ouncers. Results will count toward their individual records.
• $$$: Per USA Today, "big money" is on the table, though there's been no confirmation on how much each fighter might take home. However, boxing industry pundits say they expect Tyson to earn a paycheck of around $20 million. Paul, meanwhile, proclaimed in August, "I'm here to make $40 million and knock out a legend."

• 'Is this a really bad idea?': That's the question posed by Josh Peter for USA Today, where he wonders whether Tyson is making a foolish decision to fight a guy half his age. Some experts say his advanced years, plus his past alcohol abuse, could also up the risk of Tyson suffering a serious subdural hematoma if his head gets hit. He also likely doesn't have super-fast reflexes anymore. "You're only as old as you feel," Tyson has said, dismissing those concerns.
• So why did Tyson agree to this? "This is what God told me to do," he tells Interview of coming out of retirement, per the New York Times. Tyson says he received this revelation after smoking hallucinogenic toad venom.
• A warmup hit: That's what Tyson gave Paul on Thursday during a pre-fight weigh-in, where Tyson "unleashed an open-handed slap that connected flush on Paul's face," per ESPN. As Tyson (233 pounds) was led away, Paul (220 pounds) told the crowd: "It's personal now. He must die!" Watch here.
• 'The circus that is America': That's what Dan Wolken says this fight represents, tying the matchup to a most surreal election season and the current state of the US. "For better or worse, this is who we are," Wolken writes for USA Today. "And for better or worse, Netflix and Jake Paul are just the latest who figured out how to benefit." More here.

(More Mike Tyson stories.)