Netflix will present a highly anticipated fight on Friday between boxing legend Mike Tyson and influencer-turned-pugilist Jake Paul. Quebec promoter Camille Estephan, of Eye of the Tiger Management, is delighted to see digital giants interested in the world of boxing, but regrets that it is under these circumstances. He was kind enough to answer questions from - Sports.
Q. How do you envision this fight?
R. I was looking at the figures earlier, the two men have 50 million subscribers between them. This is the world we live in right now. This is where the entertainment world is. They’re both popular people, and so the event will be highly watched for Netflix, which I think sees this as a first try in the world of boxing. It’s more of a spectacle than a sporting event.
For a boxing purist, this is not what I want to see. But there are positive sides, because there will be very high visibility. But I am concerned about the health of Mike Tyson, a man approaching sixty.
Q. What is the boxing world’s position on this event? Is there a craze?
A. People are divided. Many are happy for Mike Tyson, who will earn significant income. But others see things going well and wonder about his health. Is it good for him to do this fight? It’s not just the fight itself, it’s also the training sessions sparring [entraînement avec un adversaire, NDLR]. There are blows that are delivered for several rounds. It can be dangerous.
Boxing is not a game. A blow to the head can be fatal.
Everything about the Tyson-Paul fight
Photo : Getty Images / Ethan Miller
Q. Are there any good sides to this fight?
R. A platform like Netflix which has millions of subscribers is positive for sport. I hope it will be a quality fight, without any unfortunate incidents.
In terms of spectacle, it’s grandiose. But there are a lot of high caliber, very talented boxers who don’t get that exposure. Social media runs the world.
Q. Who wins from a project like this?
R. It depends on the outcome. If the fight is free of incidents, health problems, and the spectacle is good, boxing will come out a winner. But it can also hurt him a lot.
If we want to be positive, the real ones fans boxing won’t really be interested in this fight, but it might attract other sports fans. But is it necessary?
Is there a risk of causing a 58-year-old man to suffer a nasty accident? For me, a fifty-year-old should not box professionally. It’s a question of ethics, of responsibility. I’m not blaming Tyson, the promoter, but I wouldn’t get involved in a project like that.
Q. Will there be a Jake Paul effect in boxing?
R. Everything changes. We are undergoing incredible change. You have to adapt. There have already been boxers who have benefited from their popularity in the past. I think of Ryan Garcia. Not that he’s not a good boxer, but he also already had a subscriber base, and that’s sure to interest promoters. It makes a big difference. It becomes a factor in the equation for obtaining additional income.
The evening of seven fights will be presented Friday starting at 8 p.m. (HNE) on the Netflix platform.
Jake Paul, 27, has a record of 10 victories, including one by knockout, and 1 defeat since his professional debut.
Mike Tyson, 58, has a record of 50 victories, including 44 by knockout, and 6 defeats since the start of his professional career in 1985.
Camille Estephan’s comments have been edited for clarity.
(With information from Olivier Pellerin)
