NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was not amused by Jake Paul’s fight against Mike Tyson.
Last month, ‘The Problem Child’ scored a unanimous decision victory over Tyson in an eight-round bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Generating more than 100 million viewers on Netflix and more than 70,000 at the gate, Paul vs. Tyson was one of the most successful combat sports events of all time.
Unfortunately, the fight failed to live up to the hype.
While fans were hoping to see a 58-year-old Tyson recapture some of his glory days and deliver one last highlight-reel knockout, it was not meant to be. Instead, both fighters just kind of plodded around the ring for 16 minutes until the “fight” came to a merciful end.
beating a 58-year-old Tyson is nothing Jake Paul should be proud of
Needless to say, nobody was amused or enthused, including ‘Shaq’ who lambasted the lackluster bout during a recent episode of The Big Podcast.
“I felt like I got robbed,” O’Neal said of Paul vs. Tyson. “Great people like us, we’re remembered for what we do, and what we did. So the fact that Mike [Tyson] was putting out the 15-second clips … I love Mike, but he’s 58. I could put out a 10-second Instagram clip, cut it, and I can make myself look like Victor Wembanyama … But that doesn’t mean I can get out there with the young boys.
“If Jake Paul really beats a 58-year-old Mike Tyson, is that something to be happy about? That’s like me right now, or when I was playing, playing against a 70-year-old Wilt Chamberlain and bragging ‘I’m the most dominant!,’ but I wouldn’t’ve felt good about that. When [Evander Holyfield] fought Vitor Belfort, I didn’t feel good about that. I just didn’t like it” (h/t Bloody Elbow).
With Jake Paul reportedly banking $40 million for the fight and Tyson taking home $20 million, it’s hard to imagine that either one of them is paying any attention to the criticism being sent their way.
Reigning UFC strawweight world champion Zhang Weili may come in a small package, but she packs a big punch and plenty of power. Fresh off her dominant unanimous decision victory over Amanda Lemos at UFC 292 in August, Zhang showed off some of that iconic strength by lifting up 7’1? and 325-pound NBA Hall of […]
