Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Boxing, Jake Paul, Mike Tyson
Chris Byfield
A Mike Tyson punch has the same power as being hit by a grand piano, according to a study.
Earlier this month it was announced that the YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, 27, would take on former unified heavyweight champion Tyson in a boxing match on July 20.
Paul beat Ryan Bourland in his 10th professional fight in February and has a record of nine wins and one defeat.
Meanwhile, Tyson, who is 30 years Paul’s senior and will be 58 by the time the fight takes place, was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles in 1987.
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Moreover, Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20, in what was then his 28th professional fight. He won 26 of them by knockout.
While Tyson last competed in a professional bout in 2005, he is likely to pose a problem for Paul.
Researcher Irineu Loturco claimed in 2020 that Tyson could hit his opponent in the head with an impact equivalent to 450kg - which is the weight of a grand piano.
As cited by The Sun, he said: "A punch from a heavyweight boxer can hit the rival in the head with an impact equivalent to 450 kilos.
"It is worth saying that this is an average value within the published studies.
"Mike Tyson has always been well above that."
Several commentators have claimed that Tyson is likely to have the better of Paul, despite the huge age gap between the fighters.
Joe Rogan said on his eponymous podcast: "I don't give a f**k if he's 55, that's still Mike Tyson. He trains with Rafael Cordeiro, who’s a legend in MMA. He runs Kings Mixed Martial Arts. Rafael is a world-renowned trainer. When you see him holding the mits for Tyson and Tyson is smashing the mits. Jesus! That guy can still f*** you up.
“In this world with hormone replacement and vitamins. He does all this electrical muscle stimulation recovery stuff.
“When they were training Mike for that Roy Jones fight they were using state-of-the-art science. I don’t give a f*** if he’s 55 years old that guy will hurt you. If Jake Paul’s on the other side of the ring and he sees Mike Tyson bobbing and weaving he’s going to have a recognition.
“He’s going to look over and go, ‘Oh my God, that’s really Mike Tyson.’”