Jake Paul and Mike Tyson’s upcoming boxing fight has proven to be one of the most divisive events in recent fighting memory.
The former world heavyweight champion will return to the ring at the age of 58 to face 27-year-old Paul in front of a massive crowd at the AT&T Stadium. Even more viewers will tune in as the fight is broadcast as a free part of a standard Netflix’s subscription; their first major boxing event.
Many fans are excited to see Paul take on one of the most renowned punchers in history. But many fear that the bout is little more than an opportunistic money-grab and that Tyson could be badly hurt due to his advanced age and lack of recent ring time.
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Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson confirmed to take place as professional bout
Yesterday, Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions confirmed that the bout would take place as a fully-sanctioned professional fight. However, there will be some alterations made to the length of rounds and glove size from the standard three-minutes and 10oz.
The pair will wear 14oz gloves and fight for eight rounds of two minutes, all under the auspices of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations with the results showing on their pro records. They will not wear headgear as had been speculated prior to the fight, and there will be a full slate of judges.
Paul is currently 9-1 as a professional and is making the move up to heavyweight in order to face 50-6 Tyson. The last time ‘Iron Mike’ fought in a full professional bout was 2005 when he was stopped by Kevin McBride, with his most recent exhibition against Roy Jones Jr taking place in 2020.
In a statement released yesterday, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said: “Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome.
“Over the past six weeks MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul Vs Tyson and we are grateful that we have gotten to this point.”
UFC legend Michael Bisping slams Jake Paul over ‘can’t win’ fight with Mike Tyson
Paul is infamous for boxing former UFC champions in high-profile pay-per-view events. He has put down the likes of Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz and Ben Askren in his run thus far, and called out many more over the years.
One of his most intense rivals during his feud with MMA has been Michael Bisping, the former middleweight world champion who has little time for his behaviour in fight buildups. The Brit believes that there is no possible winning for Paul in this fight, with the best case scenario being he knocks out an aged legend decades past their best.
“If Jake Paul loses, listen, it’s Mike Tyson, but still come on,” Bisping joked during an episode of his Believe You Me podcast. “He’s 58-years-old but stop it [if you lose] never show your face again. Then if Jake Paul knocks out a 58-year-old man that’s called elderly abuse. You can’t win here. Other than a lot of money.
“It’s only two minutes [per round] but if you’ve never boxed or fought you underestimate how long two minutes is… Mike Tyson, yeah he’s 58 and the rounds are only two minutes long, I think he’s still going to get tired after three rounds.
“That said Jake Paul leaves tremendously massive openings and he’s never fought anyone like Mike Tyson… He went the distance with Nate Diaz, he beat Nate Diaz and I’m not s***ting on him because he’s great, a cult icon.”