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.
Friday’s match marks the latest in a string of recent unorthodox matchups involving celebrities and former professionals.
How did we get to a point when a former professional recovering from ill health will face off against a man 31 years his junior in a boxing ring — and potentially draw millions of viewers around the world?
When did the celebrity boxing craze begin?
The concept of a celebrity boxing match has been around for decades, but until recently, it had been limited to charity events and short-lived novelty TV shows.
The quality and intensity of these matches ranged wildly from an unexpectedly feisty matchup in 2002 between UK comedians Ricky Gervais and Bob Mortimer to a tepid but symbolic bout in 2015 between US Senator Mitt Romney and five-times world heavy …
