Mike Tyson famously said that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.
That axiom takes on a double meaning when you consider reports that “Iron” Mike may face social media star Logan Paul in February 2022.
Why?
Because not only would Logan Paul be way out of his depth, even with a 29-year age advantage on his side, the fight would be an epic fail for the sport of boxing.
At the unveiling of his statue in Las Vegas, Tyson recently revealed his future fighting plans to The Sun.
“I am going to have a return fight in February, and we are pretty skeptical about the opponent, but it will be a really stimulating opponent.”
Logan Paul vs Mike Tyson
Feb 2022 !
Sources tell #DramaAlert pic.twitter.com/7B6hmEiXDg
— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) October 23, 2021
Although Tyson was vague about the potential opponent’s list, the social media outlet Drama Alert sent ripples through the boxing world. Drama Alert influencer Keem said on Twitter that Logan Paul is high on the potential opponent list.
No … Don’t
The potential fight would undoubtedly be an exhibition as the 55-year-old Tyson has no plans to become a professional fighter again. However, the fight is difficult for Logan Paul and the boxing business, even as an exhibition.
When Tyson fought Roy Jones in November 2020 in an exhibition match, it kicked off a new wave of “superfights” that were more entertainment than sports.
Simpsons predicted Logan Paul vs Mike Tyson pic.twitter.com/7rf6oGxDHg
— nate☾. (@tastexvengeance) October 23, 2021
The two legends looked great as they engaged in an exaggerated gym fight scrap, but Tyson showed glimpses of his old self during the fight. Although there would be no actual winner, it was clear that Tyson made an indelible impact with his dominant performance.
Immediately, Evander Holyfield wanted a rematch with Tyson, and Lennox Lewis began preparing for a comeback. The pay-per-view numbers were fantastic, and suddenly the sideshow exhibition became the main show.
But that was also because the combatants were evenly matched with a legacy. Logan Paul has no boxing legacy.
Influence Much. Boxing Not So Much.
Paul is 0-1 as a professional boxer and 0-0 as an exhibition boxer. With that said, Paul went from split-decision professional loss to YouTuber KSI to an exhibition match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
https://twitter.com/MAVERICKxLPP/status/1451885135339655174?s=20
The last fight had no winner, but the event was carnival-level bizarre with a mismatch in size. For Mayweather, he repeatedly said the bout was a “legal bank robbery” because he knew that the interest in the oddity would generate money from all the casual fans in the world.
Die-hard boxing fans either didn’t watch or played voyeur while shaking their heads at the public’s naïveté. Still, Logan Paul, like Conor McGregor, has entered the boxing space strictly as an entertainment business pivot, not as an actual athlete.
Back To Basics
This is why Logan Paul doesn’t do well in the sport. When you add in a Mike Tyson to the Logan Paul sideshow, it only complicates Tyson’s legacy and deflates a resurgence in the boxing business.
The world needs Mike Tyson vs. Logan Paul as much as it required Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul — not at all.
However, Mike Tyson reentering boxing is electrifying on any level, and there are plenty of fighters from his era who would love to share the ring with him and give him a nostalgic run for the ages.
For the sake of Logan Paul’s chin, hopefully, Tyson will move on.
