With the thirst for crossover boxing matchups showing no signs of slowing, former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson will return to the ring against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul.
The two teams are scheduled to face off on July 20th at 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The fight will be broadcast live on Netflix, marking the streaming platform’s first broadcast of a martial arts event.
Paul is 30 years younger than Tyson, 57, and the bout will be the subject of criticism from those who think it will diminish the status of boxing. But few can deny that they are profitable. Paul earned about $9 million last year after losing to boxer and reality TV star Tommy Fury. Both fighters are likely to earn even more money in the July match.
Paul rose to fame as a YouTube prank poster, but he has also carved out a lucrative, if limited, career as a surprisingly talented boxer. Before losing to Fury, he was off to a decent start in his fighting career with a record of 6-0, but some of his opponents were of debatable quality. Since then, he has won his last three matches. Paul has further ambitions for the fight with Tyson, he said.
“My goal is to be world champion, and now I have the chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of all time, the baddest man on the planet, and the most dangerous boxer of all time. ” he said. “This is going to be the fight of a lifetime.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tyson talked about his opponent’s qualifications.
“He’s grown a lot as a boxer over the years, so it’ll be a lot of fun to see what a kid’s will and ambition can do to the GOAT’s experience and aptitude,” he said. Ta. “It’s a full-circle moment that’s just thrilling to watch. I started his boxing journey on the undercard of a fight with Roy Jones, and now I’m going to finish him off.”
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has sanctioned fights in the state, but it’s unclear how it will handle fights for the boxer, who will be 58 by the time the contest begins. It may be held as an exhibition or as an official professional match.
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At his peak, Tyson was known for his brutal knockout power and was the most destructive heavyweight champion of all time. His last match (an exhibition) was a draw with fellow former world champion Roy Jones Jr. in 2020. Paul fought on the undercard of that bout, knocking out former NBA star Nate Robinson. Tyson’s last professional fight was in 2005, when he lost to Irish journeyman Kevin McBride.
Netflix has been expanding into sports over the past few years, most notably with the successful F1 documentary series Drive To Survive. The company has been live streaming two sporting events in recent months. One is the Netflix Slam, a match between Spanish tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. and the Netflix Cup, where golfers and F1 drivers compete against each other.
