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Boxing legend Mike Tyson will face off against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul in an exhibition match to be aired on Netflix. The former heavyweight champion, 57, will step back into the ring on 15 November 2024 at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The blockbuster bout will be the first broadcast of a combat sports event for Netflix, continuing the streamer’s recent foray into the world of athletic entertainment.
Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul Fight Details
- Date: 15 November 2024
- Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Fight Type: Exhibition Match
- Format: 8 x 2-minute rounds with 14-ounce gloves
- Titles on the Line: None
Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul Date
First announced in March 2024, the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight was originally scheduled to take place on July 20, however, the bout was postponed after Tyson, 58, suffered an ulcer flare-up aboard a plane. The revised date of 15 November 2024 now sees the much-anticipated exhibition match take place on a Friday, rather than the traditional Saturday timeslot reserved for high-profile boxing events. This is due to the hometown NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys, hosting the Houston Texans on the following Monday. By moving the fight to Friday night, event organisers will be able to reshuffle the stadium in time for the Cowboys game.
“Our team has worked diligently with all parties involved to reschedule this monumental fight to a date that ensures both Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are fully prepared, with equal training time, as well as allowing us to keep the event at AT&T stadium in the midst of the Cowboys season,” Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement.
“We appreciate the outstanding dedication, collaboration, and flexibility of our partners at Netflix and AT&T Stadium. Paul vs. Tyson is the most cross-generational sporting event in history, and we are committed to providing fans worldwide with this unforgettable night of boxing, live globally on Netflix. We look forward to seeing everyone on Friday, November 15 for a showdown that will be talked about for generations to come.”
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson Rules
Initially, it was unclear how Tyson vs Paul would be officiated. In March, when the event was first announced, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which is responsible for sanctioning fights in the state, did not confirm the rules of the event, stating that it was “unclear how they will treat a bout involving a boxer who will be 58 by the time the contest comes around”.
On April 29, after weeks of negotiation, the government body officially approved the fighters’ request, sanctioning the bout as a professional exhibition fight. As per the rule book, Tyson vs Paul will consist of eight 2-minute rounds with 14-ounce gloves.
| Boxer: | Jake Paul | Mike Tyson |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname: | The Problem Child | Iron Mike |
| Hometown: | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | Catskill, New York, U.S. |
| Pre-Fight Record: | 10-1 (7 KOs) | 50-6 (2) (44 KOs) |
| Age: | 27 Years, 9 Months | 58 Years, 4 Months |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85m) | 5 ft 10 in (1.78m) |
| Style: | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Titles: | – | Former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Former Two-Time Heavyweight Champion, Youngest Heavyweight Champion |
Tale of the Tape
The Tyson vs Paul boxing match does provide an undeniably juicy prospect for fight fans, despite the 30-year age gap between opponents. Paul is recently coming off a first-round TKO victory against professional boxer Ryan Bourland, however, many boxing fans would remember him for his now-infamous bout with boxer and reality TV star Tommy Fury. The bout earned Paul a reported $9 million payday but failed to live up to expectations, prompting some fans to label the Tyson vs Paul match a ‘cash-grab’. Paul clearly disagrees, taking to Instagram to label the upcoming bout “The biggest fight of the 21st century”.
“My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time,” Paul said in a press conference promoting the fight in March 2024. “This will be the fight of a lifetime.”
Tyson’s last competitive fight took place more than 18 years ago, when the heavyweight legend lost to Kevin McBride via TKO. He slimmed down and briefly returned to the ring for an exhibition match with former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. at Los Angeles’ Staples Center in November 2020.
Due to the COVID pandemic and lockdown restrictions present at the time, that bout was held without an audience and saw the two former champions go toe-to-toe in a subdued but generally well-received affair. Interestingly, Tyson’s new opponent, Paul, was also on that same card, taking down former NBA player Nate Robinson in a stunning KO just 1 minute and 24 seconds into the fight.
As a combat sports athlete, Paul has proven to be a formidable force in the ring, earning a 9-1 record that includes 6 KOs. While it still pales in comparison to Tyson’s 50-6 record, ‘Iron Mike’ is not taking his opponent lightly. Speaking about the upcoming fight, Tyson praised Paul’s boxing ability, noting that he had come a long way since that initial audience-free event.
“He’s grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a kid can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT,” Tyson said. “It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”
Paul vs Tyson Card
Paul vs Tyson won’t be the only fight taking place on November 15, with Netflix confirming the full fight card. The co-main event will see Matchroom’s undisputed super lightweight world champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) defend her undisputed title over 10, two-minute rounds against unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs).
There will also be the 12-round men’s championship fight for the WBC welterweight title between reigning champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) vs. Abel Ramos (28-6-2, 22 KOs) and a 6-round super middleweight fight between India’s number one boxer and MVP’s first international signee Neeraj Goyat (18-4-2, 8 KOs) vs. Brazil’s multi-talented superstar Whindersson Nunes (2-2-1, 1 KO combined boxing record).
Where to Watch Tyson vs Paul
The only place to watch Tyson vs Paul is through streaming platform Netflix, which is co-hositng the event. Netflix holds global streaming rights for the bout, with the event to be live broadcast across the world. Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson will be LIVE on Netflix on Saturday November 16 at 3:00PM AEDT.
Netflix previously announced COUNTDOWN: PAUL VS. TYSON, a three-part documentary series with intimate access to the fighters. The first two episodes premiere on November 7, with episode three to land on November 12.
The announcement of the Tyson vs Paul event continues Netflix’s momentum in the sports space. The streamer has revolutionised motor racing with the launch of Drive to Survive, however, subsequent iterations of the sporting series, including the tennis-themed Break Point and golf-focused Full Swing have failed to capture the same acclaim. The entertainment brand’s first-ever live sports event, The Netflix Cup, garnered similarly low interest, with journalists from this masthead describing it as a ‘disaster’.
