It’s actually happening.
Mike Tyson is returning to the ring at age 57. Tyson’s last real professional fight was in 2005, and he’s trash-talking again in real life. Tyson, who admitted he was “frail,” returned to fighting mode.
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul is officially on.
The two took over Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater on Monday night, a lively introduction to the much-anticipated and much-derided heavyweight bout scheduled for July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. A press conference was held. The match will be streamed live on Netflix. It was the first official pre-game event since the match was announced.
Why would Tyson, a boxing legend and one of the most famous and infamous athletes of all time, fight the 27-year-old YouTuber turned boxer?
“There was no hesitation,” said a cheerful Tyson, dressed all in black. “He’s an up-and-coming guy on the scene. I like to shake up the sports world to its core, and I still do. That’s just what I like to do.”
Tyson dismissed critics who were skeptical about his age and how much he still has in the ring.
And whether it poses a health risk is beyond his ability.
“Nobody else can do this,” Tyson said. “Who else could shut down the sports world? No one else can do that.”
Paul leverages his large social media following into his new endeavor in boxing, drawing large crowds to each bout. He has nine wins and one loss in professional boxing, with six knockouts.
The match is officially designated as a heavyweight match, and both fighters’ records will be considered important. Tyson has a record of 50 wins, 6 losses, 2 draws, and 44 KOs.
The intrigue to see a Tyson rematch, combined with Paul’s support, helped bring about what is expected to be a highly lucrative bout for both men at one of the country’s largest venues. This fight will be their first foray into live martial arts streaming, so Netflix is counting on it. It will be available to all Netflix subscribers at no additional pay-per-view cost.
“This is quite literally the biggest battle of the 21st century,” Paul said. “It’s not just the fact that it’s Mike Tyson versus me, it’s the fact that it’s in 700 million households.”
Paul hasn’t fought many professional boxers. Most of his matches are against former UFC stars (Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz), other YouTubers (Ali Eson Gibb), or former NBA stars. Nate Robinson. In 2023, he lost a split decision to professional boxer Tommy Fury, but has two wins over lower-tier professional boxers Andre August and Ryan Borland.
“I know I can do it. [take Tyson’s power]” said Paul. “I’m a natural heavyweight. …I’ll show you more power Mike. I think he underestimates me, and I think everyone else underestimates me too. ”
The two generally respected each other, often choosing to praise the other rather than belittle the other. It was a far cry from Tyson’s press conferences in his heyday, where he didn’t seem to be taking himself too seriously, making jokes rather than insults. Tyson and Paul were all smiles during their first faceoff, with Tyson landing a few playful jabs at Paul.
Obviously, they both know that the other is out to make a lot of money.
But Tyson issued a stern warning to Paul. Will it go back to normal once the punches start flying?
“I really love Jake,” Tyson said. “But once he gets in that ring, he has to fight like his life depends on it. Because it does.”
