Boxing great Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul’s July 20 fight in Texas will be a sanctioned professional fight that will feature both men’s records, the fight promoter says.
The heavyweight showdown, which will be broadcast live on Netflix, will be contested over eight two-minute rounds with 14-ounce gloves at Arlington, the 80,000-capacity home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Tyson, one of the most feared boxers in history, will be 58 years old when he steps into the ring for the first time since his November 2020 exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr, which ended in a draw.
The fight between Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) and Paul (9-1, 6 KOs), 27, was thought to also be an exhibition due to Tyson’s age, but the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) sanctioned it anyway.
An exhibition usually has no judges and can only be won by knockout, meaning there is a greater chance of a draw.
The 31-year age gap between the fighters is the largest in professional boxing history, according to ESPN.
“Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome,” said Nakisa Bidarian, who along with Paul founded Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).
“Over the past six weeks, MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the TDLR’s requirements for sanctioning Paul versus Tyson and we are grateful to have reached this point.”
The card will see lightweight champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) fight seven-division champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) in a rematch of their April 2022 fight when the Irish Taylor defeated the Puerto Rican in a split decision.
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Reuters