Social media personality Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will face off in what some say could be the most-watched boxing event of all time Friday.
The event, which will be live streamed on Netflix, has drawn plenty of attention because of both participants’ celebrity status, but also because of unusual circumstances. Some have called the match a farce and a disgrace to boxing, while others say the publicity is good for the sport.
Paul, 27, a former child star who built a massive following on YouTube in the 2010s, became a professional boxer four years ago.
He trains full-time with top coaches and has taken part in several high-profile novelty matches, but none as big as Tyson.
Tyson, 58, one of the most famous boxers in history, was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 and retired in 2005.
He took part in a 2020 …