Yesterday, social media received a shock when Netflix announced it would live stream a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.
The only question I had was “Why”?
Why did we need this event? Why does boxing continue to delve into entertainment at the cost of great fights with great fighters?
It’s a rhetorical question of course, as money is the obvious answer. Regardless, the event exposes a larger issue that has been debated for decades.
What’s happening to boxing?
From crossover fights with MMA fighters to bizarre posts by Ryan Garcia, boxing is no longer what it once was.
The sport of pugilism has long been one of the most technical, artistic, exciting, dangerous, political, crooked, entertaining, misunderstood, and underappreciated sports in history.
But now it’s taken on a form that’s bordering on embarrassing.
Boxing is not for everyone, yet when it’s time for a big fight, the world tunes in.
Purists want to see a great fight with lots of punches and haymakers that lead to a victory by KO.
Casual fans want to experience the excitement that boxing generates and watch a good fight regardless of the outcome.
Some watch because of cultural pride while others simply want to be a part of the aura and the publicity fights bring to cities and arenas.
But with the rise of Jake Paul, the sport has veered in a direction that fans and the industry haven’t witnessed before.
Paul has found and successfully exploited a lane in combat sports deemed “influencer boxing.” It leans on social media, event promoters, a hype machine and fighters who aren’t in great demand to distribute a product that has enabled Paul to carve out a disheartening yet impressive market share from the sport.
Paul understands that the names, not boxing skills, will draw a crowd and money, so he’s refrained from fights with real boxers to build his career and business.
Outside of boxer Tommy Fury, Paul has spent the last six years fighting social influencers, former athletes and MMA fighters on the downslide of their pro careers. He also targeted Canelo Alvarez because of the payday the fight would generate, but Canelo isn’t taking the bait, and nor should be.
Instead, 57-year-old Mike Tyson decided to take the bait and will now be fighting Paul on July 20th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Tyson and Paul have a previous connection, as the latter fought former NBA player Nate Robinson on the undercard of Tyson’s 2020 exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr.
The pair’s fight on Netflix will be interesting from a business perspective as it will not be behind a PPV paywall, so all 260 million+ Netflix subscribers will be able to watch it at no additional cost.
This fight is a money grab, plain and simple.
But Paul doesn’t deny or hide the money-grabbing aspect of his events, which is why he’s adopted the tactics of Floyd Mayweather and has strategically selected his opponents for fights that result in predictable outcomes.
While Paul vs. Tyson will definitely generate eyeballs, it adds to the detrimental factors that are eroding the values of the sport, even if it’s classified as an exhibition bout.
Tyson will be 58 by the time the fight rolls around, which is troubling in itself. But the allure of green rewards blinds those involved from acknowledging the age difference.
I’m sure the fight will be entertaining, especially the pre-fight promotions, but for those of us who grew up watching and appreciating the essence and art of boxing, Paul vs. Tyson is simply another detractor that continues the devaluation of the sport.
