"Michael Jordan now vs Ben Simmons now" - Fans draw NBA parallels to Mike Tyson-Jake Paul $80M bout

Fans are looking forward to the boxing showdown between the legendary Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, with basketball enthusiasts having a blast drawing comparisons between the fight and hypothetical matchups between former and current NBA players.

The fight is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be streamed on Netflix. The event has an estimated fight purse of $80 million.

As fight night approaches, fans shared varying opinions, with some even making NBA-related comparisons. Below are what some of them wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Michael Jordan now vs Ben Simmons now," one fan wrote.

Another fan made a similar comparison, imagining MJ taking on Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets, writing:

"Michael Jordan returns from retirement right now to face Dillon Brooks in a 1v1."

Some fans saw Mike Tyson as a legendary NBA figure like LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

"LeBron James vs Dillon Brooks," a comment read.

"Kareem Andul Jabbar vs Bronny James in 2024," another said.

Others, meanwhile, elaborated further on their comparisons.

One comment read:

"Steph vs Ant. Absolute proven killer versus flashy with potential, TBD if he's a real one."

"Kinda like if Kareem Abdul Jabbar was challenged to have a 1 on 1 street ball game against Liangelo Ball," another fan said.

Then there was one fan who wasn’t too excited about the Tyson-Paul matchup, claiming:

"Just like 2020 nba finals its scripted and fake."

In his showdown against Paul, Mike Tyson, 58, will be competing in the ring for the first time in 20 years. He last saw in action in 2005 against Kevin McBride. The 27-year-old Paul, meanwhile, has a record of 10-1 since starting his pro boxing career in 2018.

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has Mike Tyson over Jake Paul in showdown

Like many fans, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is excited for the upcoming clash between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, and he has Tyson winning by knockout.

"Shaq" made his prediction as early as March, saying on "The Big Podcast" that he has full confidence in "Iron Mike" despite his age.

O'Neal said:

"I know he can [knock him out]. [I know it's not easy at his age because] if we could all do it, I'd still be playing."

He then reiterated that on The Dan Patrick Show on Thursday, even mentioning that he placed a $1 million bet, saying:

"I'm placing one (a bet) this weekend. Mike Tyson, baby. All the way."

Check out what he had to say below, beginning at 14:30:

Paul enters the fight as a -205 favorite on FanDuel, while Tyson is a +168 underdog.