Mike Tyson unlikely to turn back clock in novelty boxing match against Jake Paul

I spent last Thursday morning at a café in Montreal, chatting with my broadcast partner, Corey Erdman, and a mutual friend of ours about that night's assignment — a middleweight showdown between local hero Steven Butler and Toronto-based veteran Steve Rolls.

The bout marked a career crossroads, with clear stakes for both men. Thursday's winner would vault back into title contention, while the loser would have to contemplate his professional future. Factor in the Quebec vs. Ontario regional rivalry, and you had the exact kind of bout boxing purists say we need more of, especially in Canada, where the sport is resurgent.

As the conversation unfolded, I scrolled Instagram and saw an announcement for the type of fight that rich decision-makers keep force-feeding us instead.

Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson will face Jake Paul, the social media star-turned-boxer, on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Texas, in the main event of a card that will stream live on Netflix. By the end of last year, the streaming giant's subscriber base numbered 260 million, but that figure could swell in the lead-up to a novelty bout some observers think might become the most-viewed boxing match ever.

Details about the planned matchup remain secret. 

How many rounds is it scheduled for?

Is there a weight limit?

Sanctioned bout or exhibition?

Can they keep those details secret until fight night?

I'm sure they would love to.

They also love that our imaginations fill the information void. In my social media timelines and inboxes, sports fans nurtured visions of Tyson, who first won a heavyweight title in 1986, beating some sense and humility into Paul, the arrogant former YouTuber who has cashed in on a series of novelty boxing matches. And it is tempting to picture Tyson buzz-sawing through Paul like he did to Larry Holmes in the winter of 1988.

Holmes, after all, had a seven-year tenure as heavyweight champ, and a deadly right hand he called "Big Jack," and still couldn't hold Tyson off? What does Paul have, besides a fan base, irrational confidence, and 31-year age advantage?

Right now, it's not clear.

The only certainty is that for the next four months, every boxing journalist and hardcore fight fan will get dragged into debates over whether a 58-year-old man with a bad case of sciatica can defeat a 27-year-old who, whether we like him or not, is an active pro boxer who trains full time with high-level coaches.