Mike Tyson and Jake Paul promises to be one of the most-bet boxing events of the year. But not every bettor will be profiting big time off the Tyson-Paul fight — not with these lopsided odds. You’ll want to keep reading as we explain the best bets to make off this circus event.
We begin our preview of Paul vs. Tyson by looking at their nicknames, which illustrate just how much of a mismatch this fight is. Tyson has long been called The Baddest Man on the Planet. But at this point, now at 58 years old, he should be called The Baddest (Old) Man on the Planet. It’s a contrast to The Problem Child, the monicker that Paul goes after. Jake is 27 so perhaps it’s best to call him The Problem (Man) Child.
We could probably end this article after that paragraph. Really, that’s all we have to say. A man approaching age 60 is fighting someone more than half his age. It’s no wonder why the best boxing betting sites have the Tyson-Paul moneyline odds so one-sided. Here’s how they’re being pegged:
Of course, there’s a segment of bettors and fans who are talking themselves into a Tyson win. He is, after all, an all-time great heavyweight in the sport. Tyson became world heavyweight champion at age 20 (in 1986, mind you) before reaching undisputed status not long after. He lost those belts, went to jail, and then reclaimed some gold in the middle of the ‘90s.
No doubt, Tyson at his peak was one of the most naturally gifted fighters we’ve seen in the division. He wasn’t tall like most of his opponents at heavyweight, but he could hit like a brick truck thanks to his speed and precision. But again, this is all past tense. Tyson is a shell of a shell of a shell of himself.
Tyson’s last sanctioned fight was nearly 20 years ago — a loss to Kevin McBride in June 2005, which dropped his all-time record to 50-6-2. He did fight Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, but that was an exhibition — not sanctioned. Ironically, Jake Paul stole the show on that card, brutally knocking out NBA star Nate Robinson in the undercard.
That sent them on this collision course we’re now on. This fight, for a reason that could only be explained as a money play, is being sanctioned so it’ll go on each’s record. The rules are eight rounds at two minutes a piece. Glove size will be 14 ounces — significantly more than the standard 10-ounce size. Let’s get into our picks next.
Because this fight is sanctioned and not an exhibition, it’s going to be widely open to betting. Hell, betting is probably why the thing is being recorded as official since many states ban wagering on non-pro events. Anyway, we have three free picks on Paul vs. Tyson. We’re confident you can go 3-for-3 on these:
We know many people are convinced Tyson has a chance because he’s a “real boxer” and Paul has made a career out of beating retired NBA and UFC fighters. But we think this is a straw man’s argument. Paul might not be a great boxer, but he is an amateur-level boxer in terms of skill — having beat journeyman boxers the last few years quite convincingly.
Tyson just isn’t skilled enough at this age to keep up with a guy 31 years younger than him. No way. Hell, this fight was originally supposed to happen in the summer but was delayed because Tyson had a health scare. That’s how bad of a physical mismatch this is.
Even if you hate Paul, you have to slam a fat bet on his moneyline. If you don’t, then you might hate making money more than you hate Paul.
All right, now this is where things get interesting. You actually get decent odds for this over/under. Here’s how it’s being pegged:
The fact that the fighters are wearing 14-ounce gloves has to be acknowledged here. It’s way heavier than normal, which could make knockouts more difficult.
Not only that, but we think the biggest question of this fight is this: does Paul want to knockout Tyson? If you’ve seen the press conferences, you know Paul has respect for Iron Mike. It’s not the usual Paul antics where he’s belittling his opponent for social media play. Not at all.
So our gut says this fight will last longer than 6.5 rounds. But as we’ll get into next, that doesn’t mean the judges are going to get to decide this.
Now here’s a fun wager on the prop market: not just who wins, but how? Here are all the possible betting options:
| Outcome |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Paul by KO | +115 | +115 | +115 |
| Jake Paul by Decision | +275 | +275 | +275 |
| Mike Tyson by KO | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Mike Tyson by Decision | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Draw | +750 | +750 | +750 |
We’re taking Paul by KO, and we expect it to happen late in the bout. Paul has built his entire brand on being selfish. Deep down, we know he wants to say hang his hat on him knocking out an all-time legend — and get the criticism that’s going to inevitably come with that, which will only make him a bigger star. Paul will go head-hunting late and cash in this prop in the process.
You know which Tyson vs. Paul bets to make, but do you know where to make such bets? Welp, we got you here too. Visit one of the top betting sites below to lock in your wagers. On top of the three bets we predicted, these sites will have even more Paul-Tyson boxing odds for this megafight.
