ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jake Paul believes he can fight for a championship belt within two years. Mike Tyson might be finished in the ring after the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion's first sanctioned pro bout since 2005. An event hyped like a prize fight turned into a glorified sparring session, the eight-round bout won by Paul in a lopsided unanimous decision at the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys on Friday night.
There will continue to be questions for Paul over when he will fight a contender in his prime, as opposed to aging former champs, mixed martial artists or journeymen boxers. The 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer's answers have been consistent, and now he has a timeline. “I think it could happen in the next 24 months,” Paul said.
“I truly, truly believe in my skills and my ability and my power. And the cruiserweight division is seemingly open for the taking on that timeline.” Tyson, whose last fight before retiring was a loss to Kevin McBride 19 years ago, said he was confident in taking on Paul because of an entertaining exhibition against Roy Jones Jr.
in front of no fans during the pandemic in 2020. A shorter fight (instead of 10 or 12 rounds) with shorter rounds (two minutes instead of three) and heavier gloves fell far short of entertaining. The International Boxing Hall of Famer came at Paul hard in the opening seconds, and briefly again to start the second round.
Otherwise, he mostly let Paul come to him, and Paul said he thought Tyson was .