8 things we learned from rewatching Mike Tyson and Jake Paul's first and last fights

Mirror Fighting have revisited Jake Paul and Mike Tyson's professional debuts to see how much they have changed over the years ahead of their much-anticipated clash

Mike Tyson enjoyed a stellar boxing career that saw him climb the heavyweight ranks and establish himself as one of the most feared fighters in the world while Jake Paul has raked in millions throughout his short career in the ring.

27-year-old Paul kicked off his career on social media, utilising now extinct platform Vine with short comedy skits before making the move to YouTube to create long-form content. After testing the water with sparring sessions on his channel, Paul finally decided to try his hand at boxing back in 2020, and the rest is history.

Fast forward to 2024, and Paul has racked up an incredibly impressive record of 10-1 in the ring, besting a number of former UFC champions like Nate Diaz, Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Mike Perry. His only loss came at the hands of Tommy Fury via split decision last February, and he continues to prove his doubters and critics wrong every time he steps through the ropes.

Unlike Paul, Tyson had no fame or fortune before embarking on his professional boxing career. He kicked off his career at the age of just 18 back in 1985, claiming an incredible 15 KO/TKO wins from 15 fights in his first year as a pro in unstoppable fashion. A far cry from the boxers of today, Tyson fought every month after his debut in March, even entering the ring twice in July, October and December, and three times in November.

Tyson, who was branded the 'Baddest Man on the Planet' due to his frightening knockout power, finished his illustrious career with 50 wins, six losses and two no contests, holding 44 knockouts to his name. He was also a two-time WBC and WBA champion, who held the IBF title in his time as well.

At the age of 58, Tyson is set to return to the ring for the first time since his 2020 exhibition showcase with Roy Jones Jr next month, when he takes on Paul who is 31 years younger. The event, which is slated for November 15 at the ATandT Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will also mark Tyson's first professional appearance since his 2005 loss to Kevin McBride.

But just how much have both men changed over the course of their careers? Who were their debut and most recent fights against in the squared circle? And what have we learned from watching them back? Here, Mirror Fighting breaks it down...

Jake Paul vs AnEsonGib - 2020

The truth is that nobody knew what to expect when Paul was announced to fight fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib (real name Ali Loui Al-Fakhri) at The Meridian in January 2020. Fight fans had seen the 'Problem Child' take on KSI's brother Deji Olatunji two years prior in a bout which showcased a whole load of clinching and very little technique, with both men wearing protective headgear and large gloves.

But just how well would he fare in a professional bout? AnEsonGib took the centre of the ring early in an incredibly unorthodox stance which saw him almost squatting very low to the canvas, catching Paul with a left hook early on. Paul was incredibly happy to work off the back foot, meanwhile, showing early signs of a piston-like jab to keep his opponent at bay.

A hard jab sent Gib stumbling backwards around a minute into the first round, giving Paul confidence in his work and easing any nerves or tension. A partially-blocked right cross dropped Gib to his knee for a fraction of a second moments later, before the referee carried out his observations.

Seconds later, Gib pressed forward towards Paul with his hands low and got caught with a check left hook which sent him down for a second time. Smelling blood, Paul looked for the power shot to get the job done, swinging slightly wildly with his lead left-hook and missing by some way.

A hard right-hand flush to the face spelled out the beginning of the end for AnEsonGib, who tried and failed to clinch Paul to get some valuable recovery time. And it was another straight right hand which put Gib down briefly for a third and final time before the referee waved off the bout for good.

It was an impressive display from Paul, who showed off some technical skills in terms of movement and footwork. The youngster mixed up his combinations to the head and body throughout and kept a nice high guard to prevent himself from taking any damage. While some of his attempts were a little wild to say the least, Paul's fundamentals were there, and he showed that he held fight-stopping power. Paul has drastically improved since, and now has better technique, more shots in his arsenal and an improved defensive set-up and engine but he is still way off the calibre of opponent Tyson fought in his heyday.

AnEsonGib, meanwhile, has gone on to fight once more in 2022, beating fellow content creator Austin McBroom via a fourth-round knockout. He is also set to face Slim Albaher later this month at Misfits Boxing 19.

Jake Paul vs Mike Perry - 2024

Paul was initially set to fight Tyson come July 20 this year, until an ulcer flare-up forced the former heavyweight champion to postpone. Instead, Paul faced UFC prospect turned bare-knuckle boxer Mike Perry as a late replacement. And the 'Problem Child' had a wealth of new tools on display during the contest.

While Paul was happy to work off the back foot against AnEsonGib four years ago, he has since learned how to put his opponent under extreme pressure with the utmost confidence. Paul was the chaser during his bout with Perry this summer, going on the offensive from the off and catching his latest opponent early on with hectic body shots which made him think twice about holding a high guard.

Paul showed just how far his precision has come along when he dropped 'Platinum' Perry in the first round with a hard right hand to the head, also showing remarkable head movement to make Perry throw big and miss big as the fight progressed. One of the main things that Paul also displayed was an ability to stand his ground and slug it out.

While he spent large chunks of his fight with Gib running away from the action, Paul would only take one or two steps back before giving Perry something to think about whether it be a jab to break his timing or a power shot to back him up completely. Paul put Perry on wobbly legs in the fourth round with a partially blocked left hook and jab combination, before showing that he has developed a thirst for pouncing when he thinks he has an opponent finished.

As the fourth came to a close, Paul also displayed just how far his feints have come along too, faking an overhand right before punishing Perry with a hard left hook and right uppercut to send him fleeing. Traps like this win fights for brawlers, and it's interesting to see just how much of a student of the game Paul has become.

Paul knocked Perry down in the sixth, albeit while looking incredibly wild and open - smothering his opponent with a barrage of wide hooks that sent him tumbling to the canvas. The youngster will of course want to be wary of doing so against a renowned counter-puncher, who will bob and weave before forcing him to run onto a power shot. Perry was unable to recover from the blow, with Paul being crowned the victor after six hard-fought rounds.

Mike Tyson vs Hector Mercedes - 1985

Boxing fans knew that Tyson was destined for greatness after showing just a glimpse of his raw talent and capabilities in his debut fight with Hector Mercedes. The two men met at the Plaza Convention Centre in New York on March 6, 1985 - Tyson making his first professional appearance in the ring while Mercedes was already on a three-fight skid courtesy of losses to Bob Sokol, Gary Gibbs, and Jerry LaFlamme.

A physical specimen even at the age of 18, Tyson looked huge compared to Mercedes as they met in the middle for the pre-fight introductions. After a touch of gloves, Tyson bumbled towards his opponent with quick feet, wasting no time in putting Mercedes on the back foot and looking to work from the inside.

Tyson has never been much of a jabber, and his debut was no different - consistently looking to get up close and unleash hooks to the head and body. His head movement was on form as he bobbed and weaved into range before letting his hands go, hardly touched by Mercedes as the bout unfolded.

Tyson's shot came midway through the first round, catching his opponent with a stiff left hand which sent him tumbling back towards the ropes, before stalking in a calculated fashion and letting rip to the body. Tyson kept his head off the centre line as he peppered Mercedes with hooks and uppercuts, following his prey around the ring no matter how much he tried to escape the punishment.

A couple of left uppercuts to the body left Mercedes crumbled in the corner, unable to make the referee's count after having his will crushed by 'Iron' Mike. In many ways, Tyson's debut was a mirror image of some of his biggest fights in history - relentless pressure, punching from strange angles, letting his hands go full force and never rushing in when looking for a finish.

Tyson's footwork was also impeccable during his debut, with his trademark peek-a-boo style bringing him success from the opening bell. If this version of Tyson was fighting Paul, it would be lights out in a matter of seconds. But at 58, it's not yet clear how much Tyson will have left in the tank but he has certainly shown in training footage that he can still bang - and with speed - but question marks still remain about his fitness and ability to fight, especially against a man many years his junior.

Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr - 2020

While Tyson hasn't fought professionally since 2005, he did return for a 2020 exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr, the two never having met in the ring throughout their glorious careers. On paper and with both men in their prime, this would have been a clash of the titans to remember for an epoch - but with both men in their 50s at the time, expectations weren't high.

With that being said though, both Tyson and Jones Jr looked incredibly fit for their ages during the contest at the Staples Centre - Jones Jr using his patented footwork to try to dazzle his foe, while 'Iron' Mike called upon his brute force and rapid entries to get the job done.

Tyson still showed incredibly quick feet to close the distance on Jones Jr, hitting him hard with looping body shots whenever he was in range, while Jones Jr took a more stylish points-based approach to the bout. Truth be told, there weren't many differences to take from Tyson's clash on the night to that of his debut - still utilising the peek-a-boo tactic, skimping on the jab in favour of hooks that sounded like gunshots, unleashing relentless pressure, and showcasing remarkable cardio. The bout was called a draw after eight rounds.

What have we learned about Jake Paul?

1) It's clear to see when comparing the two bouts that Paul has sharpened up both offensively and defensively and is no longer scared to let his hands fly while backing his opponent up.

2) While he still has a tendency to get a little sloppy and wild from time to time, the youngster has proven time and time again that he has power when he connects, and his footwork is able to save him from dangerous situations.

3) His gas tank is impeccable, and fans will see clear as day that he has put a lot of work into his cardio. The youngster has also gone the distance on a number of occasions, showing that he has the ability to push the pace and still get the job done.

4) A wealth of experience in the ring has allowed him to believe in himself and build confidence no matter the opponent - something that will come incredibly handy against Tyson, who was once the world's most feared man. After all, mental strength is equally as important as physical strength in the boxing game.

What about Mike Tyson?

1) He may have been 54 when he went eight rounds with Jones Jr in 2020 for a draw, but Tyson showed that he still possesses the power and speed that he did in his heyday - and if he turns up the same way for his fight with Paul come November 15, the YouTuber could be in big trouble.

2) Many men have tried and failed to keep Tyson at bay throughout the course of their careers, the heavyweight great far too tricky when it comes to closing the gap - and if Paul is counting on his movement to get the job done later this month, he may wish to rethink his tactics.

3) Recent training videos of 'Iron' Mike show him bigger than ever and still competent in providing a fight-finishing blow despite his age. I think some knockdowns are on the cards, especially if Tyson can perform similarly to how he did against Jones Jr, who admitted afterwards that no one had ever punched him as hard.

4) Tyson hasn't strayed too far from the path in terms of technique. He still throws very few jabs and instead prefers to get in his opponents face and let his heavy hands to the work. He's equally as likely to knock Paul out with a head shot as he is crushing his body also.

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