Ahead of his highly anticipated fight with Mike Tyson, Jake Paul is drawing inspiration from quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Paul, 27, tells PEOPLE exclusively that he greatly admires the Chiefs star’s work ethic and ability to win.
“It’s a cliché, but there’s a reason he’s the best,” Paul says of the 29-year-old Kansas City guard. “He continues to win and he continues to show up and be a leader.”
The social media star-turned-boxer — whose W brand added LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne as a co-owner last month — says Mahomes is a prime example of the type of athlete he wants to surround himself with.
“He really never has an off day and his focus is something I admire,” Paul adds of Mahomes.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul at a press conference for their fight on May 13, 2024, in New York.
Sarah Stier/Getty
As he prepares for his contest with the 58-year-old Tyson — live on Netflix Friday, Nov. 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET — Paul says athletes like Mahomes have motivated him to put in the hard work and trust in his process.
“I believe there are a lot of people more talented than me, naturally gifted or whatever, but my key to success is hard work and going above and beyond every day,” says Paul.
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Paul tells PEOPLE he feels “great” ahead of his bout with Tyson, who told reporters he’s ready to “come like hell” when he meets the former YouTube star in the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“My sparring partners basically mimic exactly how Mike Tyson moves, which was super, super helpful because he has a unique fighting style,” Paul explains, adding that he “could sense what the fight was going to be like” with Tyson.
“And I think it’s going to be a great night for me,” predicts Paul.
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Jake Paul reacts after knocking out Andre August in the first round during Jake Paul vs. Andre August at Caribe Royale Orlando on December 15, 2023 in Orlando, Florida.
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The Cleveland, Ohio native made his boxing debut in 2018 against YouTuber Deji Olatunji. He won the match by technical knockout in the fifth round. He won his first professional boxing match the same way, with a TKO in the first round of a 2020 fight against YouTuber AnEsonGib.
Going into the fight with Tyson, Paul’s record is 10-1, with his only loss coming against Tommy Fury.
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Jake Paul tries to punch Tommy Fury during their cruiserweight title fight on February 26, 2023.
Francois Nel/Getty
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Paul tells PEOPLE he was “devastated” after losing to Fury, 25, in February 2023. However, Paul admits, “It turned out to be the best thing for me because I saw people around me who weren’t there for the right reasons and I managed is to filter them.”
The boxer says he focused on training after the loss — and is now confident that the results will help him when he fights Tyson.
“I think a lot of people would react to a loss and say, ‘Oh, maybe I’m done with this. Maybe this isn’t for me,'” he explains. “But it’s like, no, let’s lean even more because I was great, let’s focus on the positive, bring in a different team and surround ourselves with better people and take the sport even more seriously.”
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Source: HIS Education