Mike Tyson Vs. Jake Paul Officially Sanctioned As Professional Fight

The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match this summer will now be an officially sanctioned and professional fight. Set to take place on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the bout was previously just an exhibition but will now hold professional value. The fight, set to be streamed on Netflix, will be eight two-minute rounds with each fighter using 14-ounce gloves, and the results will be shown on their official boxing records.

“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,” Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in a statement. “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.”

Tyson is an undoubted legend of the sport of boxing, previously ending his career with 50 wins (44 by KO) and six losses while becoming one of the most well-known athletes in the country and holding the world heavyweight championship from 1987 to 1990. Tyson’s last knockout came back in 2003, but he is known as one of the most powerful punchers in the history of the sport, and despite his old age, he still holds at least a part of that talent shown throughout the 1980s and 90s. He did face off against Roy Jones Jr. in a 2020 exhibition fight, finishing with a draw that did not go on either of their professional records.

On the other hand, Paul joined the sport of boxing professionally in 2020 with nine wins, six by KO, and one loss. Paul’s previous fights have come against professional athletes like NBA player Nate Robinson, UFC fighters Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz and Anderson Silva, and well-known boxer Tommy Fury. His only career loss came against Fury, and since then, he has had two consecutive knockouts against Andre August and Ryan Bourland after his hopes were dashed of being professionally ranked and challenged for a world championship.

Paul has highlighted a new form of boxing, one in which entertainment takes precedence over pure power or skill. This matchup against Tyson is another non-typical but highly entertaining matchup. The two fighters also have a 30-year age difference, which is the most significant age gap in the history of professional boxing.

Paul has been criticized in the past for his fights against lesser opponents, but his matchup against Tyson will no doubt prove his actual value as a boxer. Tyson is one of the most successful boxers in history, and though decades out of his prime, a win for Paul would at least be representative of his success in the sport.

The fight will be Netflix’s first venture into live professional boxing, but they have successfully produced a life golf event and stand-up comedy special. Though a first of its kind on a non-traditional boxing platform, the Tyson vs. Paul matchup will be one of the summer’s most highly anticipated sporting events.