Jake Paul has vowed to pack on 40lbs ahead of his fight with Mike Tyson in July, with the YouTuber-turned-fighter aiming to jump up to heavyweight.
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are preparing for their fight (Image: Getty Images)
Jake Paul is gearing up to shock the world with his weight class jump for the upcoming Mike Tyson fight, aiming to become a heavyweight for the first time when he steps into the ring this July.
The influencer-turned-boxer plans to pack on a staggering 40 pounds in his quest to topple the legendary Tyson in Texas. Despite only having 10 professional fights under his belt, Paul’s bout with Tyson has stirred up controversy among boxing aficionados.
With a 30-year age gap between the young internet star and “Iron Mike”, boxing figures like Carl Froch and Derek Chisora have criticized the matchup as mere spectacle.
Paul, who has previously fought at cruiserweight, has made it clear that he’s undertaking serious training to bulk up. On his podcast, he declared: “It’s just like shocking to people that that is how much I weigh.
“I think just because normally I’m fighting at 200 and walking around at 210. It’s weird to me that I’m weighing 230. But since this was noodling after my last fight I’m just getting to eat as much as possible and it turns out my body carries this weight super well.
Paul has not held back on his bout wit Tyson (Image: Getty Images)
“And I’m only growing. I think I’ll get up to 240 and probably cut down so I’m like way faster. But if I’m training for this camp – and camp hasn’t started – but if I’m training in this camp at 240 and then I cut down to 220 it’s basically like I had a 20lbs weight vest on for the whole entire camp. So my muscles are going to be so much stronger and that speed will come through.”
Regardless of his weight, there is no doubt about Paul’s dedication as he readies himself for perhaps the most significant fight of his career to date. In fact, the 27-year-old even confessed that he is ready “to die” in the ring against his next opponent.
Never shying away from inducing shock amongst his fans before the anticipated bout at AT&T Stadium, Paul gave a sharp reply when asked about his respect for Tyson, stating it would disappear the moment he enters the ring. He said at the Miami Grand Prix: “It’s war; all is fair in love and war.
“I love the guy, but as soon as it turned into a pro fight, one of us has to die. He’s taking this very, very seriously and that’s what’s going to make the fight amazing for all the fans. He’s a killer.
Paul added: “I’m moving up to the heavyweight division so he’s going to have some advantages but that’s what’s going to make this fight exciting. We both have one-punch knockout power. This is what he was destined to do and what he was born for.”
