Shaquille O'Neal reveals his pick for betting $1 million on Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight
Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal is throwing his support behind Mike Tyson this weekend when the boxing legend steps back into the ring to face Jake Paul. The bout will be broadcast on Netflix, with the 58-year-old Tyson looking to pick up his first professional win since 2003, while Paul looks to add another name to his list of victories.
Ahead of Friday's boxing match, which is set to take place in Texas, O'Neal spoke about the fight on Thursday's installment of "The Dan Patrick Show." When asked about his most recent big bet, O'Neal shared that he's ready to wager a substantial amount on the Tyson-Paul fight.
Despite Tyson being 31 years older than Paul, O'Neal is confident Tyson will emerge victorious.
"I'm placing one this weekend. Mike Tyson baby. All the way," he said.
When asked about his wager amount, he replied with confidence:
"A lot ... One million."
You can see his comments in the video above beginning at the 14:25 mark.
While O'Neal is firmly in Tyson's corner, betting odds tell a different story. At the time of writing, Paul is a -205 favorite on FanDuel, while Tyson is a +168 underdog.
Shaquille O'Neal says Mike Tyson can knock Jake Paul out
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are set to throw down on Friday in Texas, although their fight was originally planned for the summer. However, Tyson's ulcer in May led to the fight being postponed.
During an episode of "The Big Podcast with Shaq" in March, Shaquille O'Neal expressed confidence about Tyson's ability to knock Paul out.
"I know he can," O'Neal said.
However, Shaquille O'Neal also shared his concerns about Mike Tyson's age, stating that father time has caught up with him. Drawing from his own experience as a former athlete, Shaq added that if aging hadn't taken its toll, he would still be playing in the NBA.
"Both of you are forgetting two words: father time. ... I'm just saying. Like, if we could all do it, I'd still be playing."
The Tyson-Paul bout will make history by setting a new record for the largest age gap in professional boxing, with a 31-year difference between the two fighters.