For better or worse, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are set to clash on Nov. 15. The bout comes after delays and concerns over whether a fight between the 27-year-old Paul and 58-year-old Tyson should actually share the boxing ring.
While there are plenty of questions and concerns heading into the bout, it is guaranteed to draw tremendous amounts of both attention and money. The heavyweight fight will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and will stream live on Netflix (more on that below).
Tyson, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, has not fought a professional fight since 2005 when he retired in his corner in a bout with Kevin McBride. While troubles plagued his life, including three years in prison after being convicted of rape in 1992, Tyson has rehabilitated his public image over the past decade.
"I'm just ready to fight. I've said everything I had to say," Tyson said at the final press conference. "There's nothing else to say. I'm just looking forward to fighting."
Paul went from social media superstar to someone who decided to dabble in boxing, only to find the sport appealed to him on a deeper level. He has since built himself into one of the biggest box office draws in the sport while piling up a 10-1 record with seven knockouts. Those fights have mostly come against crossover athletes like former NBA star Nate Robinson and former UFC stars Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz.
"Yeah, it's cute. I fear no man. So I want him to be that old savage Mike," Paul said. "He says he's going to kill me. I'm ready. I want that killer. I want the hardest match possible Friday night, and I want there to be no excuses from everyone at home when I knock him out."
Let's take a look at what you need to know before the circus rolls into AT&T Stadium on Friday.
Wasn't this fight supposed to happen in July?
Yes, the fight was originally set for July 20. It was delayed shortly after reports in May that Tyson had suffered a medical event on a flight. That turned out to be an ulcer flare-up, which wasn't expected to result in a postponement until a statement was released on May 31.
"During a follow up consultation on Thursday with medical professionals on his recent ulcer flare up, the recommendation is for Mike Tyson to do minimal to light training over the next few weeks and then return to full training with no limitations," the statement read.
Is this a 'real fight' or an exhibition?
Unlike Tyson's exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, this is an officially sanctioned fight that will go on the professional records of both men. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations approved the request to make the fight a licensed, professional bout in a move that many feel goes against good sense considering the 30-plus year age gap between the two men.
"After the contract was signed, we got a call from Mike's team and they were like, 'Hey, he wants it to be a pro fight for sure. He wants that. He wants to put it all on the line.' I respect Mike for that and if he wanted it to be that, then let's run it," Paul said during a May press conference.
While Paul vs. Tyson will be an professional bout, it will not be contested under standard professional rules.
Isn't Mike Tyson too old to be in a sanctioned professional fight?
There are many states whose athletic commissions would consider the answer to that question to be a resounding "yes," especially given the nearly 20 years since Tyson fought in a licensed bout. Tyson is in fantastic shape for his age and videos of him in the gym show a still impressive amount of speed and power, but 58 years old is 58 years old no matter how you slice it.
Still, there is no specific rule on the TDLR books that prevent licensing a fighter after a certain age and the state is generally seen as a bit more friendly to fighters and promotions in situations that bring in big money.
What are the rules for Tyson vs. Paul?
Despite this being a professional fight, it will be contested under some non-standard rules, especially for men's boxing. The two standout rules are:
- The fight will be eight, two-minute rounds. While men's professional bouts vary from anywhere from four to 12 rounds, those rounds are a standard three minutes, unlike women who generally compete in two-minute rounds due to archaic attitudes from sanctioning bodies.
- The fighters will wear 14-ounce gloves. Generally, boxers 135 pounds and under wear eight-ounce gloves and fighters weighing in above 135 wear 10-ounce gloves. As the fight will be contested at heavyweight, this would generally mean 10-ounce gloves. Instead, the fighters will wear 14-ounce gloves, which are generally only seen in sparring and will reduce the impact of punches.
"I wanted the shorter rounds because I wanted more action," Tyson said in May. "If we only have two minutes, we'll fight more."
How can I watch Tyson vs. Paul?
Tyson vs. Paul will stream live and free (for subscribers) on Netflix. The fight marks the first time Netflix has streamed a live combat sports event and just their third streaming sporting event overall. Landing the fight is a big win for Netflix, which will be attempting to smash live event streaming records with a fight that, while not high-level boxing, will draw more attention than any bout that could be put together featuring top professional boxers.
Is the undercard any good?
Shockingly, yes. While many modern boxing cards are extremely top-heavy, Tyson vs. Paul features a good mix of fights to introduce an audience that will mostly be unfamiliar with the sport. The top undercard fight -- and top fight on the card in terms of skill and importance -- features a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for Taylor's spot as undisputed lightweight champion. Their 2022 fight was a massive event and was arguably the biggest women's boxing fight of all time, in addition to being the first women's boxing fight to ever headline New York City's Madison Square Garden. Not only was the fight big, it was great, with thrilling action throughout before Taylor won a split decision.
Also on the card, Mario Barrios will defend the WBC welterweight title against Abel Ramos, power-punching Shadasia Green will battle Melinda Watpool and fast-rising featherweight contender Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington will be in action against Dana Coolwell. Those fights are in addition to a handful of other, less notable bouts.
