Before Jake Paul steps between the ropes to fight boxing legend Mike Tyson on Friday night, the social-media star has revealed how Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has inspired him.
The 27-year-old Paul’s bout against Tyson has cornered a unique audience in the sports world, airing live on Netflix tonight, due to their difference in age and experience in combat sports.
Mahomes is viewed as the most-accomplished active NFL quarterback with three Super Bowls at age 29. He’s already considered one of the best in the history of football to play the position with about half his career left to go.
‘It’s cliché, but there’s a reason he’s the best,’ Paul told PEOPLE. ‘He continues to win and continues to show up and be a leader.’
‘He really never has off days and his focus is something that I admire.’
Tyson, 58, has not had a non-exhibition match since 2005, going to a draw with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020 in a bout that was scored by the WBC.
Paul sent some compliments to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes before fighting Tyson
Mahomes is a three-time Super Bowl champion at age 29 and looks to have more in his future
Yet, the last legacy of ‘Iron Mike’ relies heavily on the nostalgia of his dominant run during the 1980s and 1990s.
Paul’s rise as a boxer has come with an asterisk, with limited fights against people trained primarily in the sport. Of his 11 professional fights, only three have come against true boxers.
Tyson would be the fourth, with Tommy Fury being Paul’s only opponent in the same age and experience age. That coincides with the only loss for ‘The Problem Child’.
Mahomes has linked up with Logan Paul, Jake’s older brother, on a few occasions in the past.
The Kansas City quarterback has becomes a partnership deal with Logan’s energy drink Prime.
In April, Mahomes appeared on WWE’s ‘Monday Night Raw’ as an ally to Logan.
It is unlikely Mahomes will be at AT&T Stadium for the fight, due to the Chiefs playing on the road against the Bills on Sunday. However, that did not stop Jake Paul from dishing out his love for the three-time Super Bowl MVP.
