JAKE PAUL and Mike Tyson have been backed to bring boxing viewing figures into the multimillions for the first time since Muhammad Ali’s days.
The YouTuber-turned boxer and heavyweight icon are set to collide in a mammoth showdown on July 20 in Texas.
@jakepaulMike Tyson and Jake Paul put friendship aside to fight on July 20[/caption]
And among the several talking points surrounding the controversial fight for the ages is that it will be shown on Netflix.
As of 2024, the streaming service has 260.28 million subscribers and the bout will be available for every single one of those.
It promises to bring viewing figures not seen since the days of Ali, who had anywhere from 80m-1BILLION fans tune in to watch him.
Donn Davis, founder of MMA promotion the Professional Fighters League, is a friend of Tyson’s and business partner of Paul’s.
And he backed his pals to punch boxing into mainstream for the first time since the days of The Greatest.
He told SunSport at PFL Paris: “Look, I’m happy for both of them because it’s a big fight and it’s the first ever combat sports on Netflix, 260millon people will have access to that fight.
“It’s not since Ali will you have that broader reach. You used to see 50million people see a fight, now it’s a couple million.
“So I think it’s fun for both of them and it’s going to be a global sensation and I want them to both end in a tie and both be OK.”
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Paul, 27, is 9-1 as a boxer and suffered his only defeat to Tommy Fury, 24, in February 2023 but he has won three since.
Whereas Tyson, 57, retired in 2005 but returned in 2020 for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr, which ended in an eight-round draw.
Iron Mike was in Saudi Arabia last month to host the PFL vs Bellator event while Paul is signed to the MMA promotion ahead of his cage debut.
So Davis refused to pick a winner and chose to stay safe on the fence.
He chuckled: “I never want to talk about those guys’ business. I leave it to those guys.
“I’ve texted but as I say, this will end with both of them OK, fans happy. That’s my prediction.”
Mike Tyson with PFL founder Donn Davis