Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson predictions: Boxing legends and experts tip their winner for historic fight tonight

Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson predictions: Boxing legends and experts tip their winner for historic fight tonight

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson tonight meet in a controversial bout that has split opinion among the boxing world and beyond.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul will touch gloves with ‘Iron Mike’ who is a former undisputed heavyweight champion and has come out of retirement for his first professional boxing fight in almost two decades.

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As a result, the big question for those tuning into the bout - on Netflix - is will Father Time catch up to Tyson or will he prove once again as to why he's one of the best boxers to ever step into the ring?

One way or another a definitive answer will be provided, but in the build up to the bout, the biggest names from the world of sport have made their predictions.

Tyson Fury, named after ‘Iron Mike’, has tipped the former world champ (Getty Images)
Tyson Fury, named after ‘Iron Mike’, has tipped the former world champ (Getty Images)

Tyson Fury

Current heavyweight champion Tyson Fury believes experience will prevail, thus giving the edge to Mike Tyson.

"If Mike Tyson hits anybody, I don’t care if he’s 90, he’s going to knock them out cold isn’t he?" he told the MMA Hour. "He’s Iron Mike Tyson, the baddest man on the planet.

"Jake Paul is very experienced now and he's had a lot of fights but obviously, I have to back Mike Tyson for the knockout as he always backs me."

Lennox Lewis

Like Fury, Lennox Lewis, who fought Tyson back in 2002, is adamant that age is nothing but a number.

“Mike Tyson’s gonna win. He’s not that old. Don’t take him too softly. We’re one year apart," he told FOX 29 in Philadelphia.

"You can fight somebody like that and do well, because the person you’re fighting is not a true fighter and there’s a hundred things that you’ve forgotten that he’s learning."

Lennox Lewis has predicted a victory for Mike Tyson against Jake Paul. (Getty Images)
Lennox Lewis has predicted a victory for Mike Tyson against Jake Paul. (Getty Images)

Anthony Joshua

However, Anthony Joshua doesn’t share the opinion of Fury and Lewis, predicting a win for the youthful Jake Paul.

"He [Mike Tyson] is older now," he said on the Jonathan Ross Show. "I pray that he comes out healthy. I think Jake Paul [wins] because of youth - that’s the only thing.”

Roy Jones Jr

Roy Jones Jr is the last person to fight Tyson and the pair could not be separated when they met in an exhibition bout four years ago and has insisted that ‘Iron Mike’ legendary power remains which spells bad news for Paul.

“Mike hit me harder in my chest than I have been hit in my whole career. He still has that legendary power, trust me,” he told talkSPORT. "Well, I like Mike, probably by decision. But if he chooses to go out and take him out, I think he can.

“However, I feel like if he feels comfortable he will just box and enjoy himself because why get in shape to go one round...

"I don't fear for Mike and how old he is. Mike is still hard to hit and Mike still hits hard as hell."

Johnny Nelson

Meanwhile former WBO world champion, now a boxing pundit for Sky Sports, Johnny Nelson respects what Mike Tyson has achieved in the sport but has predicted a Jake Paul victory.

"Let's just not be silly, we know Mike Tyson, who he was, what he achieved, what he did, we know Mike Tyson and Jake Paul it's like day and night," he told ProBoxingFans.

"We also know Mike Tyson is the same age as me right now and if you get in with someone that's not got half, even a quarter, even one percent of the experience and knowledge you have about the game.

"We know Mike Tyson has got all of that and more, but the one thing we as humans can't control is time. You've got youth against an older man that hasn't got the pace, so if you've got someone that's running rings around you, Mike's never going to have the energy level to keep up with him or to manhandle him.

"So unless he gets one shot in and Jake Paul is stupid enough to show try toe to toe it there with him, it only takes one how but he has the speed on Mike, he has the youth on Mike, he has the fitness on Mike."

Conor McGregor

UFC superstar Conor McGregor has criticised the fight even taking place but has backed Tyson to emerge victorious.

"Don't give a b******s. They're wearing 14-oz gloves, " he said in a live rant. "It's two-minute rounds, is it? It's two-minute rounds? Who gives a b******s.

"I hope he [Tyson] rattles that little dope [Paul]. No one gives a f*"k about him. How is that even in the f***ing Dallas Stadium? What's going on?"

Logan Paul

Unsurprisingly, Logan Paul is backing his brother to get the job done.

"Let's go, Jake! Mike Tyson, you don't even know, " he said on Instagram. " You're messing with the Pauls, bruh. Let's go, Jake. First-round knockout. Yeet!"

Brotherly love: Logan Paul is backing Jake to win (Getty Images)
Brotherly love: Logan Paul is backing Jake to win (Getty Images)

Larry Holmes

"I watched a clip of Mike Tyson this morning, and all I can say is that Jake Paul had better be ready if he's going to fight Mike, "he told OLGB. "Mike will be able to last the two-minute rounds. Mike comes to fight when he puts his mind to it; he goes to work on you.

"And that's what I've seen today... If Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul was a Las Vegas table game I'd be betting all my money on Iron Mike... Mike Tyson doesn't care about anything. He'll fight you right now, even though he's not in any shape. And he's going to hit you, and when he does that, it's all over.

"Mike is ready for it. He won't be taking any punches in training. If I'm betting my money, it's on Mike."

Amir Khan

"I just feel that he can really hurt Jake Paul," the former professional boxer stated. "I just can't believe what Jake Paul is thinking.”

Oscar De La Hoya

"If it's before three, four rounds, I have to go with Tyson by knockout, that one punch knockout," he predicted on Fight Hub TV. "If it goes past four rounds, I have to worry about Tyson's conditioning, and where Jake Paul's youth can take over.

"I've seen Jake Paul's videos, he looks big, he looks huge."