The Mike Tyson-Jake Paul match rewrote some records in terms of attendance, viewership and revenues. The post-match noise has never been this loud. Fans felt shortchanged by streaming issues. But why they were so curious to watch is curious.
For one, it is the comeback of the baddest ass who ever fought in the canvas. The former undisputed heavyweight champion was last seen in the ring 19 years ago. He should never have returned at 58. If some good things never last, with more reason that bad things should end.
Boxing left him long before, except his notorious legacy. He has seen better, or worse, days. But he was welcomed back in the name of money. And curiosity. The sport must be boring now it reinvents by destruction.
How would a spent force keep up with a 27-year old non-boxer in his prime? He stood no chance, except for fluke. But the old bad man is happy and proud after losing on points. He fought toe to toe a YouTube creation in 8 rounds.
Whew, no knockout. But the younger fighter said he calculated his moves to avoid hurting a comeback old man with four decades of punishing boxing experience behind him. How to be gentle in a brutal fight, show us the rules, or at least the art.
It was a fight only Mike Tyson could win. In fact he claimed it the one fight he won despite losing. Figure of speech of course. But he is no longer a figure, exactly why he just speaks.
On the other hand, it was a fight Jake Paul could never win, even if he won. A foregone conclusion, the 31-age difference leads to eternal damnation. The experience and wisdom of the old man could not make up for his dying body he even feared dead before the fight.
Of course Paul will and should win. Else Jake becomes a joke. And he lived up to expectation. It is not news, nothing was achieved except validation of world expectation. The only thing he ruined was the hope for a freak accident that did not happen, of a Mike Tyson second coming. Redemption. Or resurrection, without reference to the man believed to revisit humanity on judgment day.
Paul losing could have been the news, subject to speculation the fight toed the script to satiate hunger for plot twist. Either way, Jake Paul could not win. His victory means nothing. Ugly much, er, pretty much like arguing with the wife, the husband never wins, his only job is to affirm, confirm and reaffirm he is infirm, and the wife firm, to the brim.