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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Nils Adler

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul: What’s behind the celebrity boxing craze?

Mike Tyson, left, and Jake Paul, right, face each other during a news conference before their heavyweight bout at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas on November 13, 2024 [Timothy A Clary/AFP]

Mike Tyson, the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion who has recently recovered from a stomach ulcer, is set to face 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a boxing match the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Friday.

With an eye-watering $40m up for grabs in the fight’s “purse” and no title belts on the line, the showdown, which has been approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, has drawn condemnation from the boxing community for being a product of celebrity culture that some see as devaluing the art of this sport.

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