Some initially had Tyson as the favourite when the fight was announced for July 20. However, the former heavyweight champion is now considered the underdog with bookmakers.
Tyson has been the only one to share videos from his training camp, while Paul has kept his preparations under wraps. Despite being 57 years old, Tyson still appears incredibly fit and strong.
He’s sent a clear message to Paul not to underestimate him, even with their 30-year age difference. But the bookies aren’t convinced by Tyson’s performance in training and odds now have Paul as the favourite.
When the fight was first announced, some had Tyson as the favourite with odds of 1/2. As a former boxer with 44 career knockouts, he was given the benefit of the doubt despite his time away from the ring. Paul’s odds were set at 2/1, which means those who bet on him early on got a good deal.
The odds for the fight are now closer than ever. Paul is the favourite with odds of 5/6, while Tyson is the outsider at 6/4 according to Betway.
It’s still unclear whether this will be a professional fight or an exhibition match. But at this stage in Paul’s career, it would be unusual to arrange a bout not to be considered part of his professional record.
The upcoming boxing match between Mike Tyson and influencer Paul is set to be a big payday for both fighters, thanks to Netflix‘s live streaming of the event to its 260 million subscribers. UFC legend Henry Cejudo revealed on his podcast with Kamaru Usman that Tyson could earn around $20 million from the bout.
“I mean, you know what I respect, Uncle Mike… But it obviously takes two to tango,” he said. “I feel like there is probably a really good payday for Mike. He’s probably going to wind up making close to about 20 mil, and he’s about to turn 58 years old.”
Meanwhile, Paul, who has already made a fortune as one of the world’s highest-paid influencers and from his 10 boxing fights, is looking forward to the match. He announced the ‘Fight of the 21st century’ with excitement, saying: “I could not be more excited to make this amazing fight available to all Netflix subscribers alongside the hardest hitter of all time, Mike Tyson, on Saturday, July 20th,”.
However, it remains unclear whether Paul aims to professionally defeat Tyson or simply prove himself against one of the best. “My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of the world, the ‘Baddest man on the planet’, and the most dangerous boxer of all time. Time to put Iron Mike to sleep.”