Jake Paul, Mike Tyson were Ohioans before they were boxing foes
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A boxing legend vs. a former YouTuber. Photo: Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson's fight Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will feature two guys with deep northeast Ohio ties.
Why it matters: The fight, which airs on Netflix, is among the most anticipated sporting events of 2024 and could draw one of the biggest audiences in boxing history.
The big picture: Some have criticized the fight's legitimacy, given that Tyson is 58 and Paul, 27, has yet to face an accomplished boxer in his relatively short career.
- Paul responded to detractors in a recent interview with BBC Sport: "It's all a game and I'm playing the game better than other people, it's why I'm on the biggest platform fighting the biggest name, arguably, in the history of boxing."
The intrigue: Paul, along with his equally famous brother Logan, were raised in Westlake.
- The two became controversial social media stars in the early 2010s by posting footage of crude pranks and wild parties to sites like Vine and YouTube.
- Logan has since moved on to pro wrestling, while Jake has become one of boxing's most polarizing and bankable figures.
Flashback: Tyson's history in Northeast Ohio began in the late 1980s when the boxing champion purchased a mansion in Trumbull County (about an hour east of Cleveland) to be near famed boxing promoter and Cleveland native Don King.
- Tyson was baptized at Cleveland's Holy Trinity Baptist Church in 1988, celebrated his 23rd birthday at the I-X Center in 1989 and held his first press conference after serving three years in prison at Gund Arena in 1995.
State of play: Tyson hasn't fought professionally since 2005, but did compete in an exhibition against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
- Paul moved to 10-1 in his career after defeating bare-knuckle boxing champion Mike Perry by TKO this past July.
By the numbers: Paul claims he will make $40 million for the Tyson fight and predicts it will draw 25 million viewers, which would be a record for a boxing match.
- Netflix hasn't discussed potential viewership figures, but the streaming service's audience of nearly 283 million global subscribers speaks for itself.
How to watch: Coverage of the fight starts at 8pm.
- It is free to all Netflix subscribers.