Jake Paul gained prominence in the world of combat sports after he delivered a knockout blow to former NBA player Nate Robinson during the undercard of Mike Tyson’s exhibition boxing match against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.
Now, Paul, the YouTuber-turned-prizefighter, and Tyson, the former heavyweight boxing champion, are set to cross paths once again, this time as opponents, in what promises to be the most controversial event yet in the recent surge of crossover boxing bouts.
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According to officials who spoke to ESPN, Tyson and Paul will square off in a boxing match scheduled for July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This showdown will headline a card that will be broadcast on Netflix, marking the streaming giant’s inaugural venture into combat sports and its third live sporting event overall. Last November, Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) sealed a deal with Netflix for a boxing card, as confirmed by MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian.
Bidarian expressed his anticipation for what he believes will be a historic event, stating, “Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a once-in-a-lifetime dream matchup and I anticipate it will be the most-watched boxing event in modern boxing history.”
However, there remains uncertainty regarding the classification of the bout by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which oversees combat sports in the state. It is yet to be determined whether the match will be categorized as a professional fight or an exhibition.
Despite Tyson’s legendary status in the world of boxing, with a fearsome reputation as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, he will be 58 years old at the time of the fight. In contrast, Paul, aged 27, is three decades his junior.
Tyson’s last professional fight was in 2005, and he retired after two consecutive losses. Nonetheless, he showcased impressive form in an exhibition bout against Jones in November 2020 and has continued to exhibit his skills through social media training videos.
Commenting on the upcoming bout, Tyson remarked, “[Paul has] 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.”
Since his knockout victory over Robinson, Paul has embarked on a successful boxing career, defeating former UFC stars such as Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley in high-profile matches. He has recently shifted his focus towards facing more experienced opponents to further develop his skills and aims to compete for a world championship in the future.
Reflecting on his journey, Paul remarked, “It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons.”
The event holds significant magnitude for Paul, who sees it as a testament to the rapid success of his promotion company, MVP, which was founded just two and a half years ago.
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Netflix, known for its expansion into live sports coverage, expressed excitement for the event, with Netflix vice president for nonfiction sports, Gabe Spitzer, stating, “Saturday, July 20 will be pure drama in the ring in Texas. We are thrilled to partner with Most Valuable Promotions for this historic event and we can’t wait for these two to face off for fans all across the world on Netflix.”
