Jake Paul's partner, Jutta Leerdam, has conceded that 'The Problem Child' could face a knockout from boxing titan Mike Tyson in their upcoming bout next month.
At 27 years old, Paul is currently gearing up for his match with 'Iron Mike', which is just over a month away. The much-anticipated face-off between the two boxing heavyweights is set to occur on November 15 at the ATandT Stadium in Texas.
Tyson, now 58, last participated in a professional match back in 2005, where he suffered a fifth-round loss to Irishman Kevin McBride. However, he did step back into the ring four years ago for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr.
On the other hand, Paul, the American social media phenomenon, has claimed victories over Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz since his professional debut in 2020. His sole loss in the boxing arena was a points defeat to Tommy Fury last year.
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The decision to proceed with the match has been met with widespread criticism, particularly after Tyson had to withdraw from the original date in July due to an ulcer flare-up. After being advised to halt training, the 58 year old recently resumed his regimen and maintains he'll be prepared to step into the ring next month.
At the height of his career, 'Iron Mike' was universally acknowledged as one of the most formidable punchers in the sport.
Many are convinced that Tyson's knockout power remains a formidable threat, with some speculating he could floor his opponent. Leerdam, an Olympic silver medalist in speed skating, connected with Paul after he slid into her Instagram DMs last year, inviting her to feature on his podcast.
The 25 year old has faith in 'The Problem Child' clinching victory over the boxing icon but acknowledges Tyson's potential to deliver a devastating blow to his younger adversary.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, she expressed her awe at Paul's rapid improvement: "The progression Jake has made is not normal. Other athletes, they make a few percentage points of progression a year, if at all. Jake makes so much in a year. So I do trust his skills. I'm very proud of him. But of course, Mike Tyson could give one punch that is harder than Mike has ever thrown - and it will be lights out for Jake."
Despite possible risks, Paul has dedicated immense time to analyzing Tyson's past fights, confident he's cracked the code to defeat the 58 year old legend. He suspects Tyson will aim "to trap me on the ropes and then get blows off to angles on each side."
Discussing his strategy with the same publication, Paul revealed: "To just box on the outside and then use my footwork to be more agile and get him chasing me and then attack him when he's out of position. That should frustrate him."
At a recent press conference, when probed about his reasons for taking on Tyson, Paul retorted: "Making history. This is what it's all about for me, man. I'm a kid from Ohio. They'll never give me credit. That's the way it is. If I was walking on water, they would say it's because I couldn't swim. And this is to make history. The people think I'm going to get knocked out by this strong, powerful guy."
Paul further added, confronting the doubters directly: "All the people in my comments say, 'look at his power. He's going to get KO'd.' This has taken a chance to fight somebody as vicious as Mike can be. You got to risk it for the biscuit. That's the name of the game."
