Mike Tyson showed signs of exhaustion and slowed cardio in his open workout ahead of his fight with Jake Paul, but despite being 58, Tyson still demonstrated superior speed and explosiveness, leaving Paul with a slim chance unless Tyson tires out during the later rounds.
Tyson Gassed, Paul Slow: What We Learned From The Open Workouts
Mike Tyson appeared out of breath during his open workout ahead of his highly anticipated eight-round bout against influencer Jake Paul this Friday night. At 58 years old, Tyson was visibly exhausted, struggling to catch his breath during and after his workout, raising doubts about his conditioning for a fight against 27-year-old Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, airing on Netflix.
Tyson’s Explosive Speed vs. Paul’s Sluggishness
On the bright side, Tyson still showed flashes of his old explosive hand speed, moving faster and more fluidly than Paul during their respective workouts. Meanwhile, Paul, who looked bulkier and slower, appeared far less athletic, resembling the body type of a journeyman heavyweight. His movements lacked the finesse and athleticism that made Tyson a feared fighter in his prime. Paul’s workout offered no signs that he could compete at the contender level in the heavyweight or cruiserweight divisions.
If Paul ever makes it to Tyson’s age, it’s hard to imagine he’ll have the same physical abilities, given his current performance. Simply put, Paul doesn’t have Tyson’s natural gifts—he’s slower, weaker, and lacks the raw talent that the former champion has.
The Fight Breakdown: Tyson’s Window of Opportunity
Based on Tyson’s superior speed, power, and explosiveness, he has a solid chance of winning if he can close the gap and land early, within the first two to three rounds. If Tyson doesn’t finish Paul by the fourth round, however, he risks being knocked out himself. Jake Paul is expected to use movement early in the fight, staying away from Tyson while he’s fresh, then making a move to end the fight once Tyson tires out—something we’ve seen before in Tyson’s later career, where he struggled to keep up in the later rounds.
Tyson Reflects on His Comeback
Despite the physical challenges, Tyson seems mentally prepared for the fight. “I’m tougher than I thought I was. When I agreed to this fight and I started training, I thought, ‘What the hell am I thinking? Now that I’ve finished the process, the fight is upon us. All the work has been done,” Tyson remarked during his open workout on Tuesday.
This fight promises to be a clash of two very different fighters: one still hanging on to his prime, the other still trying to prove he belongs in the ring. If Tyson can summon one more burst of greatness, he might just surprise everyone. But if the fight drags on, it could be Paul’s time to shine.
