The upcoming boxing match between social media influencer-turned-fighter Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will reportedly be sanctioned as an official professional bout rather than an exhibition and will impact both fighters' pro records.
According to ESPN, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations will be the official authority overseeing the highly anticipated heavyweight bout, which is scheduled for July 20 at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be livestreamed on Netflix. The fight will reportedly consist of eight 2-minute rounds, both fighters will use 14-ounce gloves, and contrary to widespread rumors, knockouts are permitted and neither fighter will wear protective headgear.
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Regardless of their 30-year age difference, Paul and Tyson are no strangers to one another. In just his second career fight, Paul appeared on the Tyson-Jones undercard in 2020 when he defeated retired NBA star Nate Robinson by knockout. Just four years later, he'll now go face to face against one of the most feared boxers of all time.
Tyson, 57, hasn't stepped into the ring since his 2020 exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. that ended in a draw and hasn't won a professional fight since his 2003 knockout win against Clifford Etienne. Nonetheless, there's no questioning the power of "Iron Mike."
Widely regarded as the "Baddest Man on the Planet," Tyson is recognized as ESPN's hardest-hitting heavyweight of all time and became the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history in 1986 at just 20 years old. He went on to produce a career record of 50 wins and six losses — including 44 wins by knockout — before retiring in 2005.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Paul's rise to stardom as a social media influencer started in the 2010s when he started posting popular videos on the now-defunct platform Vine and then went on to build a massive following of more than 20 million subscribers on YouTube. It wasn't until 2018 when he decided to pivot his career to focus on boxing and turned pro just two years later.
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Paul has gone on to win nine of his first 10 fights — including six wins by knockout — with his only loss coming last year to Tommy Fury, the brother of current heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury. But the social media star has faced criticism over several of his wins, which came against largely unknown opponents in the boxing world and left some critics questioning whether the fights were fixed.
Nonetheless, Paul says he's not shying away from the former champ in hopes of one day hoisting the world heavyweight belt.
"My sights are set on becoming a world champion," Paul said in a statement after the fight was announced. "And now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. This will be the fight of a lifetime."
Tyson called the bout a "full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch."
