On Saturday, July 20, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will square off live at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, via Netflix.
Paul expressed his excitement, saying, “I could not be more excited to make this amazing fight alongside the hardest hitter of all time, Mike Tyson, available to all Netflix subscribers.”
It must be noted that, given the time since Tyson’s “fight” with Roy Jones Jr., this will most likely be an exhibition. Mike Tyson, who turns 58 on June 30, hasn’t competed in an official bout since 2005, when he was stopped by Kevin McBride after six rounds. It also doesn’t appear likely that he will be granted a boxing license.
Regarding that age point, if Jake Paul will use this fight to “prove” he can be a world champion, he will be facing an opponent who, whether by name or not, is in his eighth year of AARP eligibility. Even though Mike Tyson is in excellent health, he is getting close to 60 years old.
Having said that, it is clear that this has little to do with serious boxing credentials. The goal is to create a huge, profitable event, and the show will be successful in that regard.
Paul (9-1, 6 KO) defeated club fighter Ryan Bourland in the opening frame of their fight this past Saturday in Puerto Rico, which was broadcast on DAZN. Paul’s previous fight in December also ended in the first round, with club opponent Andre August losing. Paul’s most recent bout that truly stood out was a 10-round victory over Nate Diaz in Dallas last August.
Jake Paul vs. Tyson won’t require a separate pay-per-view purchase; it will be included with a standard Netflix subscription.
