Jake Paul has a knack for stirring up controversy. And his recent fight with Mike Tyson was no exception, leaving fans buzzing—but not entirely in a good way. While the fight grabbed headlines, ex-NBA star Dwight Howard found a way to make it more entertaining. Before the match, Howard doubted whether Tyson’s nearly 60-year-old frame could handle Paul’s energy and unconventional style. And when Howard’s prediction turned out right, he didn’t hold back on the trolling.
Dwight Howard recently joined the Entirely NBA podcast, and as soon as he joined, he threw mock punches and pretended to bite his gloves. Then, diving into the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight, he quipped, “Man, he [Mike Tyson] was biting this glove the whole night. I’m like, Mike, are you trying to go back? You want to bite this, man? What are you doing?” His playful jab had everyone laughing, but that’s not the end.
Keeping the laughs coming, Howard repeated his glove-biting impression. Howard took another swing when one of the co-hosts pointed out that Tyson only threw 97 punches during the match. “97 punches. He threw more punches in the documentary than in the actual fight. He’s bugging out,” Howard said on the podcast.
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Not just Howard, many fans and critics were equally vocal, calling the bout one-sided and even scripted. Women’s WBA world light flyweight champion Sara Bailey went as far as to say the match was fixed. Lucas Bahdi, another attendee, claimed Paul wasn’t even taking the fight seriously, fueling the controversy further.
Despite the backlash, the fight was a massive draw. Streamed live on Netflix, the event reportedly reached 60 million households worldwide. Love it or hate it, Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson was undeniably a spectacle—and Dwight Howard made sure the fun didn’t stop there.
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Howard predicted Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight
Dwight Howard didn’t hold back during a podcast appearance with Mike Miller, diving right into the heated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson debate. Howard openly questioned Tyson’s ability to keep up with Paul’s speed and strength, suggesting that age wasn’t on Tyson’s side. He pointed out that Paul’s energy and power could pose a real threat to the boxing legend.
“Speaking of Mike Tyson, I’m afraid for that fight… Mike is 70 years old. He has a brittle chin. Jake Paul’s knocking out everybody. If he hit Mike Tyson one time, he might knock him out… I don’t know he [Tyson] might have power but he gonna get fatigued real fast,” Howard said, holding nothing back.
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Miller, however, wasn’t quite as comfortable with the thought of Paul beating Tyson. He confessed he might have to reconsider his relationship with boxing altogether. “If he [Jake Paul], I can’t watch boxing no more… Like watching your guy, that’s my favorite guy in the world growing up,” Miller admitted, clearly torn between his admiration for Tyson and the reality of the matchup.
Of course, ignoring the legacy Tyson brings to the ring is impossible. Tyson’s resume is unparalleled, with 50 wins—44 by knockout—and a reputation as the youngest heavyweight champion at just 20. But on the flip side, Jake Paul has steadily silenced critics by taking down names like Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren. With Tyson added to his list, Paul’s polarizing journey is becoming harder to dismiss.
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