Joe Rogan Says Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Felt More Like Sparring Than a Real Fight

The much-hyped showdown between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul was one of the biggest fights of last year, but for fans of pure boxing, it didn’t exactly deliver. From the moment the fight was announced, people questioned how competitive it would actually be, given the age gap and Tyson’s long layoff. After the bout, many speculated that the fight looked more like a glorified exhibition. Joe Rogan is one of those people. 

The UFC commentator and podcast host shared his thoughts on the matchup, saying that the fight felt more like a sparring session than a legitimate, high-stakes bout. Rogan’s breakdown of the fight has only fueled ongoing debates about whether it was fixed, staged, or simply a mismatch between an aging legend and a social media star-turned-boxer.

The fight was promoted in full throttle by Tyson, who posted well edited videos of himself looking sharp like he did during his prime. During one of the face-offs, he even slapped Jake, causing a massive uproar.

But the actual fight turned out to be anything but a dud. Following the event, some analysts even speculated that the fight might have been fixed. In a conversation with Rogan, director Peter Berg raised similar concerns.

When he asked Rogan if he felt the same, the UFC commentator said, “It looked like sparring to me. That is what it looked like to me. I would not want to speculate because I have not talked to anyone about it. But my educated assessment is yes, it looked like sparring. It did not look like a fight.”

Rogan’s opinion has been shared by many who watched the fight LIVE on Netflix.

Right after the bout, there were claims that Tyson appeared to hold back, refraining from delivering punches he seemed poised to throw. Some viewers also noted instances where Tyson, after dodging Paul’s attacks, had clear opportunities for counterpunches but chose not to capitalize on them. 

In response to these allegations, Jake’s Most Valuable Promotions labeled the claims as “illogical,” emphasizing that the fight was professionally regulated and any such fix would violate boxing licenses. 

Rogan, however, remains unconvinced. Speaking about Jake’s fight with Canelo Alvarez that saw the Mexican snaked out of, Rogan said, “I don’t think that would be that (sparring), I think that would be a fight. I don’t think Canelo Alvarez is making any agreement where he is not going to knock you out.”

Fortunately for Jake, the fight with Tyson seems to have opened new doors. And now, it seems he might be the second Paul in his family to  be feuding with Floyd Mayweather. 

Floyd shares his thoughts on a fight with Jake 

Mayweather isn’t exactly impressed with Jake’s rise in the boxing world.

While Paul has managed to turn himself into one of the biggest names in the sport, bringing in massive attention and pay-per-view numbers, Mayweather isn’t convinced by the influencer-turned-boxer’s skills in the ring.

Hesitant to talk more about the Tyson-Paul fight, Mayweather said, “If I say something, I’m going to get backlash. No matter what I say, it’s always, it’s not right.”

Instead, he pointed out the key difference between himself and the social media star.

“When you’re watching boxing for free, you can have millions and millions, hundreds of millions of views,” Mayweather said. “But when you’re watching Floyd Mayweather, you have to pay. I do pay-per-view numbers. Check the record.”, he added with a brag. 

As for a potential fight against Jake? Mayweather didn’t hold back on that either, making it clear that he doesn’t think it would even be competitive. “Too easy. Too easy.”, he added, claiming that even at 48 years of age, he would still win.