Mike Tyson, front left, and Jake Paul, front right, face off during a news conference ahead of their fight, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)AP
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul are set to face off in a high-profile boxing match in Arlington on Friday, marking Tyson’s first sanctioned fight since 2005.
The fight, originally scheduled for July 20, was pushed back after Tyson experienced a medical episode on a plane in May, which he later attributed to an ulcer problem. After resuming training in July, he declared himself ready for the match at a press conference in August.
“While we have a new date, the result will be the same no matter when we fight. Jake Paul is getting knocked out,” Tyson said during the press conference. “We’ve just got to listen to the facts. We’ve got a YouTuber fighting the greatest fighter that ever lived.”
An astounding 60,000 people are expected to attend Friday’s event at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, according to the BBC. However, millions more are slated to tune in to the fight, which will be streaming on Netflix for all existing and new subscribers.
The match has raised eyebrows from the public and traditional boxing fans alike, as the last time Tyson, 58, fought professionally was in a match against Kevin McBride, where he suffered a sixth-round TKO. His most recent brawl was in 2020, during an eight-round exhibition with Roy Jones Jr.
Paul, 27, is fresh off a sixth-round TKO of Mike Perry in July. Since making his professional debut in January 2020, he has mostly fought ex-UFC fighters and fellow YouTube stars. In four of his first five bouts, he scored KO wins, according to ESPN.
The age difference between Tyson and Paul has been brought up among the public as both a strength and a potential challenge, with ESPN citing that “Tyson was already a 30-year-old champion with a record of 45-2, 39 KOs” when Paul was born in January 1997.
These are the key details to know about Friday’s fight:
Time of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight:
Netflix will start coverage of the full fight card at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 15. The exact ringwalk and fight time for Tyson vs. Paul has not been announced.
How to watch the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight:
The fight will not be available on TV or pay-per-view. It will only be streamed on Netflix for free if you have a subscription.
List of fighters on the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul undercard:
Netflix released the following undercard on their website, TUDUM.
Heavyweight Bout/ Main Event: Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul
Super Lightweight Bout: Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano
WBC Welterweight Bout: Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos
Super Middleweight Bout: Neeraj Goyat vs. Whindersson Nunes
Rules for the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight:
The rounds will be two minutes long, which is a minute shorter than the standard three-minute round typically used for men’s bouts, according to USA Today. The boxing gloves will also weigh 14 ounces rather than the standard 10-ounce gloves typically used in sanctioned pro fights by boxers who weigh 147 pounds or more.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees combat sports in Texas, yielded to requests from Bryce Holden, the promoter of the Tyson-Paul bout when it came to rules, according to USA Today.
Odds for the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight:
As of Thursday, Nov. 14, Bet MGM set the following odds for the fighters:
Tyson win: +275