Traditionally, the names Mike Tyson and Jake Paul just do not go together. Thinking about the two interacting seems more particularly appropriate something like The Hangover Part IV, yet a real fight between both the guys is highly plausible in 2022… but not until 2022.

Tyson (50-6) will simply return to the ring for the first time in 14 years in an exhibition bout against fellow boxing veteran Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020. The fight was called a draw since it was not scored after eight rounds of fighting.

On the same night, the younger Paul brother was in action, taking on former NBA player Nate Robinson. Paul’s now-famous knockout took only a minute and 24 seconds into round two to drop the former New York Knick unconscious.

Since then, Paul, 25, has continued to establish his feet in the boxing world, defeating former welterweight MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. As a result, a Tyson matchup is now possible.

“That could be very interesting,” Tyson stated on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “I never really took it serious, but yeah, that could be really interesting. He’s skilled enough, yes. I’m [going] to give it to him, he’s skilled enough because he’s winning. Even if he’s fighting guys that you don’t believe are good enough fighters, they should be able to beat him but they can’t. He is beating people that he shouldn’t really be beating so you got to give him that credit. He’s beating people he really should not be beating. He is doing good for a guy that just doing it and he is doing so much good for boxing.”

“Listen, this guy has seven million people following him every time he fights. The champions of the world don’t have that many people following them so what he is doing for boxing is just sensational. No one should be hating on that, let’s just fight ‘em. He’s helping everybody get money. Why are people mad at him?”

Tyson, 55, gave a date for when the battle would have to take place since, despite his already seasoned age, he is not aiming to be around forever.

“Anything is possible, yes,” Tyson said. “But it has got to happen this year. It has got to happen this year.”

Tyson has indeed been related to a possible matchup with Jake’s older brother, Logan, in recent months rather than “The Problem Child,” but that doesn’t appear to be happening at this time as Logan continues to dabble in many different ventures such as professional wrestling, where he competed in his first match at this past Wrestlemania in April. Logan’s most recent boxing battle was an exhibition versus Floyd Mayweather in June 2021, which ended in a no-decision after eight rounds.

Jake has taken a sabbatical since his rematch with Woodley in December 2021, in which he scored a brutal sixth-round knockout. Paul has confirmed that his next fight will be in August, but the opponent has yet to be formally revealed, however Paul has indicated that it would be a rebooked fight with Tommy Fury. After Fury withdrew due to injury, the December rematch with Woodley served as a last-minute replacement.

Regardless, Paul is scheduled to meet with “Iron Mike.”

“Thank you to the great Mike Tyson for the respect and opportunity,” Paul responded to Tyson on Twitter. “This year we are making it happen.”