The power seems genuine.

The speed appears authentic.

The sweat, the exertion, the noise – everything looks real in the widely shared videos of Mike Tyson training for his matchup with Jake Paul.

But a lingering question remains: Is this fight legitimate?

Seeing Tyson and Paul square off this Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, should clarify the matter. It will become evident whether both fighters are actually delivering powerful punches with the intent to win in an eight-round heavyweight contest. Until then, can we consider this a genuine fight?

The tentative response is clearly “yes,” taking into account various regulations: The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which oversees combat sports in Texas, has sanctioned the Tyson-Paul match as a professional fight, not an exhibition.

As with all official fights, it will be judged by three accredited officials, a winner will be announced, and the outcome will be added to the fighters’ records.

Alternatively, others argue against the fight’s authenticity based on the regulations of the match, which will consist of eight rounds lasting two minutes each, with gloves weighing 14 ounces instead of the typical three-minute rounds with 10-ounce gloves.

Many critics of the fight’s legitimacy have moved beyond the specific rules in question.

Up until recently, the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion and the 27-year-old YouTuber have expressed mutual admiration while gearing up to earn enormous sums of money.

“It feels like two brothers want to settle a score in the backyard during a family gathering,” Jay Kornegay, executive VP of race and sportsbook operations at the Westgate SuperBook, told YSL News Sports via text last month. “I’m uncertain how serious either will take it.”

Reasons for considering the bout legitimate

While Paul is primarily known as a YouTuber rather than a boxer, he has participated in 11 sanctioned professional matches since January 2020, boasting a record of 10 wins and 1 loss, with seven of those victories coming by knockout.

Tyson may not be able to reclaim his former glory as the “Baddest Man on the Planet,” but he holds a record of 50 wins, 6 losses, and 44 knockouts and competed in an exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.

The bout has garnered credibility from BoxRec, the official boxing registry, which has posted it as a professional contest. There are no intentions to alter this classification when the results are finalized, according to Grey Johnson, BoxRec’s chief marketing officer.

“This is the first men’s professional match I can recall that features two-minute rounds in the United States, although this practice isn’t unusual in other regions like the United Kingdom,” Johnson stated in an email to YSL News Sports. “The ultimate determination of whether this is an exhibition or pro fight rests with the Texas commission.”

A common argument against accepting Tyson vs. Paul as a legitimate fight concerns Texas’ divergence from the unified rules established by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC). These rules typically stipulate three-minute rounds and 10-ounce gloves, rather than the two-minute rounds and 14-ounce gloves that will be used for this fight.

However, Mike Mazzulli, ABC president, clarified that member commissions are only obligated to adhere to unified rules during title fights. Though Tyson and Paul will be fighting for substantial amounts of money, they are not contending for a title.

“They are stepping into the ring,” Mazzulli asserted. “They’re judging the match. Therefore, it’s a legitimate fight. Without a doubt.”

Jake Paul in a ‘pine box’?

Last week, New York and five other states announced their decision to ban betting on the Tyson-Paul fight, effectively labeling it as an exhibition.

This action mirrored the vigorous opposition within the boxing community, which largely views this as a non-legitimate pro contest. The unconventional rules are just part of the skepticism.

“I find it ludicrous that a 58-year-old man who suffers from arthritis and is known for his cannabis business is participating in a professional fight within a major jurisdiction while pretending it’s a genuine boxing match,” remarked Lou DiBella Jr., a prominent boxing promoter. “It’s absurd.

“If this fight had occurred 30 years ago, there would likely have been a ‘pine box’ waiting ringside for Jake Paul. But now, with Mike being 58, it’s merely an entertainment event.”

Boxing lacks a unified governing body, allowing each state commission to sanction matches at their discretion.

In 2018, officials in Texas permitted a pro fight between Jack Lucious, then 62, and Yail Eligio, another fighter whose age is not documented in BoxRec. Lucious lost by TKO in the first round.

“I’m baffled how they can authorize this as a professional fight,” stated Al Low, former chairman of the Michigan State Boxing Commission. “This wouldn’t have been approved in Michigan.”

Greg Sirb, who was the commissioner for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission for 33 years before retiring, voiced concerns over the two-minute rounds and 14-ounce gloves.

“I don’t see how even Texas can classify this as a sanctioned event,” he expressed.