Drake’s belief that Mike Tyson would defeat Jake Paul in their boxing showdown on Friday was misguided, with the rap star losing a huge bet.
The “God’s Plan” star staked a whopping $355,000 bet on 58-year-old Tyson to do the business against a man 31 years his junior at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. At odds of +185, Drake stood to bank a return of $1,011,750 – with a profit of $656,750 – if “Iron Mike” had his hand raised at the end of the fight.
But after the opening bell, it soon became apparent it was not a fair contest. Tyson could not compete with Paul’s superior athleticism and landed just 18 punches in a unanimous decision defeat.
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Drake is no stranger to placing massive bets on Paul fights. The 38-year-old, who has an endorsement deal with bookmaker Stake, which funds his wagers, put $1.2 million on the line last year when “The Problem Child” faced off against fellow influencer-boxer Tommy Fury, losing by split decision.
The Canadian also lost a seven-figure sum on the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, tipping Lionel Messi’s Argentina to win inside 90 minutes, only for the game to be decided on penalties. There have been big wins this year, though, including a $425,000 win from correctly predicting Alex Pereira’s victory over Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April.
Paul is a narrow favorite with the oddsmakers, priced at -220, while a Tyson victory is available at +180. Those odds have narrowed significantly on fight week, with big money being staked on former heavyweight champion Tyson to get the job done.
Paul is a narrow favorite with the oddsmakers
Tyson has not fought professionally for 20 years, seemingly ending his career in 2004 with a stoppage defeat to journeyman Kevin McBride. He faced off against Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout in 2022, which ended in a draw.
Paul, meanwhile, rose to prominence in his teens as a YouTuber and Disney actor, but he has since turned his attention to boxing and has amassed a 10-1 record since making his debut three years ago. His only defeat came last year to Fury in Saudi Arabia.
They will fight over eight two-minute rounds at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Tyson believes he will get the job done.
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