Why Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is important
work with me here $$$$$
The latest edition of the captivating insanity that is influencer boxing comes our way tonight in the form of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson.
This is a sentence that was unfathomable just a few years ago.
It’s a testament to Paul’s tenacity and marketing prowess, and it’s also indicative of where we’re at culturally.
Shockingly, I have no interest in mainstream opinions on this fight.
Still, the naysayers are aplenty, with a common refrain about such events:
“OMG it’s gonna be rigged bro!1!”
“Should I put $20 on Jake in DraftKings?!”
“He should fight someone his own age!”
“Who cares about that, it’s ridiculous?”
These takes not only miss the point, they also aren’t what I want to discuss tonight, either.
The Medium is the Message
Let’s start with a tweet, as we often do:
Majlak is largely correct- this is (so far) the summit for influencer’s in the public eye.
(He would also know, being that in his own right, he has an inspiring story that starts with drug addiction and ends with an unlikely rise to micro celebrity in the influencer world in LA.)
We like educated takes based on merit and evidence in here.
This breadth and scope of the creator was a focus in my A Time to Build writeup, as well as delved into during my latest
foray with -Paul is the veritable poster child of all this.That’s also the rebuttal to the “who cares” and “it’s all rigged” crowds:
The purse of the fight is $80,000,000.
(That’s an awful lot of DOGE coin)
Jerry Jones’ own AT&T Stadium- yes, the Cowboys home- will host the event.
Ticket sales were north of $17MM, and a crowd of 70,000 is expected.
The undercard has its highlights and Amanda Serrano is a rockstar in her own right, but we know who the majority are there to see.
The economics do far more than “check out”.
Fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter if the fight is “legit” or not, if an aging Tyson is a shell of the monster of yesteryear, if there’s a controversial referee decision, etc.
A statement has been made via the money, and the statement is loud.
The sheer economic volume of this event is a stake in the ground that not only have we become a changing society sociopolitically, but in the sports and entertainment realm as well.
So while the fight may very well be a banger (and as a self-professed fight junkie, I sure hope it is), your eyeballs may be better served outside the ring.
Follow the Money
The best question to ask yourself during Tyson vs. Paul tonight is:
“What am I being sold- and why?”
There’s the obvious, being Paul’s new “W” men’s hygiene line marketed in conjunction with Walmart. (Massive in its own right)
However, there’s also the likes of Celsius (energy drink), DraftKings (betting), and Meta Quest (VR).
These are a far cry from the standard marquee sporting event sponsors of trucks, beer, and “erectile assistance” drugs.
The new guard doesn’t want to drunk drive their Dodge Rams (I’m not being outta line- that’s actually the most commonly cited vehicle in DUI’s nationwide, look it up), they want to be wired off of Celsius, punting longshot plays on prop bets while immersed in VR.
I’m sure there will be a litany of crypto advertisements and strategic product placement on ringside influencers as well.
( If you really wanna go full-scale degeneracy tonight, instead of basic bro hopes n’ prayers on DraftKings, try throwing a bit into any crypto that is advertised at length on screen)
The Bottom Line
(^ That’s sort of an awful unintended pun.)
Point is, the magnitude and popularity of this event is the changing landscape of both consumerism and sports/entertainment in the USA on a grand scale.
Our consumer base (especially in the younger generations) are bucking trends left and right, and our brightest corporate and entrepreneurial minds are there to eat it up.
It’s best to fight the all too human urge of fighting change, and opening up our collective consciousness to the new playing field of modern commerce and consumption.
While sporting events are usually meant to be an escape from daily life, it would be well advised to treat tonight as sort of “homework”, of sorts.
Where we’re headed, what sells and who buys it, and the overall social media reaction are fantastic indicators of things to come.
The fight is sort of an afterthought from this perspective.
A Prediction and Respect to a Legend
Mike Tyson is one of my favorite athletes of all time.
His blend of raw power and skill enmeshed with an indomitable will and intimidation makes him 1 of 1.
This is my favorite boxing match of all-time, a quick case study in human psychology in regards to competition:
The actual combat itself is brief and brutal, but it’s the juxtaposition of mental approach and aura between the two men that really makes it so fascinating.
Spinks was defeated long before he climbed through the ropes onto the canvas.
It takes a special fighter to instill that sort of fear into a worthy opponent.
Tyson is a G.
That being said, I don’t think it goes his way tonight.
Juicy prediction:
Paul wins it in the 6th, but Tyson scores himself a knockdown along the way.
Oh…and as for the “who cares” crowd?
🤣
aw.
I was going to end with this song anyway- I swear.
Enjoy the show, but do a lil homework!
Love always,
John Abbate
15.11.2024