Mike Tyson to notice major change in Jake Paul fight as KSI, Logan Paul and other Gen Z celebrities replace Hollywood’s A-list chasing tickets
Mike Tyson was THE celebrity among celebrities at the height of their powers.
Few athletes in history have transcended their respective sports like Iron Mike did in his pomp.
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In the pre-Internet era of the 1980s and ’90s, a Tyson fight was a quasi-religious experience, a must-see blockbuster event that brought families together around a living room TV in anticipation of one’s arrival. of the most feared and complicated operators in boxing history. coup de grace.
At his peak, when he pummeled opponents with blazing speed and devastating power, Tyson was arguably the biggest star on the planet.
He himself said that he once believed he was a “demigod”.
Everyone from politicians to musicians to A-list actors turned out in droves to get a glimpse of the former undisputed heavyweight champion and his ferocious propensity for violence.
The ringside crowd on every Tyson fight night was a who’s who of Hollywood royalty and sporting idols.
Donald Trump, Will Smith, Muhammad Ali, Pamela Anderson, Madonna, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson, Michael Jordan and Sylvester Stallone have all seen this brutal brawler fight over the years.
However, when Tyson steps into the ring at AT&T Stadium for his next mega-fight with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, he’ll be competing in front of a whole new generation of celebrities.
One that probably won’t be familiar to Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who grew up with Iron Mike’s fights and the drama that enveloped his personal life.
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Athletes, musicians and actors will still be in attendance at the Dallas Cowboys’ futuristic domed stadium on July 20, as will Gen Z superstars, increasingly drawn to the glitz and glamor of professional boxing.
Jake ‘The Problem Child’ Paul’s background in Disney, Vine and YouTube means that an audience very much in tune with the modern age now has its eyes set on a uniquely primal sport rooted in gladiator combat.
The VIP guest list for Netflix’s must-see showdown this summer has yet to be announced, but Paul’s previous crowd profile suggests Tyson’s next contest will take place openly in 2024.
YouTubers, TikTokers, Instagram influencers, Twitch streamers and social media personalities are the usual crowd at any Paul PPV event.
Deeji, Tommy Fury, Island Boys, Addison Rae and, of course, WWE bro Logan were all spotted soaking up the undeniably compelling extravaganza that is a Problem Child fight card.
Paul’s rise, however, is not a freak phenomenon – he simply happens to be the poster boy for YouTubers and influencers who rake in millions by setting up their latest beef inside the squared circle for the eyes of the world can see it.
But the reality is that even without Paul, the popularity of influence boxing has become stratospheric in recent years.
Misfits Boxing, a crossover boxing promotion founded by British YouTuber KSI and regularly featuring OnlyFans models and former Love Island contestants, recently signed an exclusive five-year partnership with streaming and sports entertainment platform Dazn .
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Traditionalists may not like it, but boxing is no longer just for sporting purists.
Rather, it is now a spectacle in a spectacle society where commodification and celebrity are king.
Fortunately, boxing icons like Floyd Mayweather, Tyson Fury and Canelo Alvarez will always remain.
But boxing’s shift to accommodate stars like Paul means it has become an increasingly accessible product to the general public who don’t necessarily know – or care about – the nuances of hooks and haymakers.
Instead, they want to see their favorite personalities settle scores in the most primitive way possible.
Paul is undeniably a polarizing figure, but he captured the zeitgeist and helped bring boxing back to the forefront of cultural and sporting discourse.
Tyson, unlike some of his contemporaries, recognized this early and continued to embrace the ever-changing landscape of boxing.
The former ‘baddest man on the planet’ identified that Paul was ‘going to save boxing as long as he keeps fighting’, and now he will face him in a professionally sanctioned contest.
The 57-year-old hasn’t stepped into the ring in more than four years and will be 30 years older than his opponent when he takes the canvas in Arlington, Texas, in just over two months.
Whether he wins or loses is irrelevant.
What matters is that we will all be there, glued to the TV, just like the fans of yesteryear watching Iron Mike.
And just like a few years ago, the rich and famous – albeit of a different kind – will clamor for the hottest ticket in town for the chance to see a legend in action.
Because after all, a Mike Tyson fight, even after all these years, remains an unmissable event.
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