Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson Boxing Match Set for July
Netflix has entered the sports chat. After airing two events, The Netflix Slam and The Netflix Cup, it’s going for a third—a combat sports live broadcast.
In the ring? None other than boxing legend Mike Tyson, who will face off against social media influencer-turned-fighter Jake Paul. Yes, you read that right. Netflix announced the July 20 faceoff on its X account this morning with a post that showed Paul, 27, exiting a helicopter that landed on a rooftop, where Tyson, 57 (he’ll be 58 in June), awaited. The two got face to face, each displaying their tatted-up heads. Tyson and Paul are set to clash at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
It’s JAKE PAUL vs. MIKE TYSON — yes, really! — in a LIVE BOXING event at AT&T Stadium you won’t want to miss. Airing live on Netflix Saturday, July 20 #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/ULXVeCYeH6
— Netflix (@netflix) March 7, 2024
Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) secured a contract with Netflix for a boxing event on November 1, according to MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian.
Why this particular matchup? Bidarian said in a statement posted on Yahoo Sports, “Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a once in a lifetime dream matchup and I anticipate it will be the most-watched boxing event in modern boxing history.”
How the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which governs combat sports within the state, plans to handle this match, which is expected to draw a ton of criticism and attention, is still unknown. As we get closer to the fight date be sure to keep an eye on the top boxing betting apps for odds and opportunities to place your bets.
The Fighters
Jake Paul made a name for himself in the world of combat sports by defeating ex-NBA star Nate Robinson during the preliminary fights of Mike Tyson’s showcase bout against Roy Jones Jr. back in 2020.
Today, Paul, who has transitioned from YouTube fame to serious boxing contender, is set to face Tyson, the once undisputed heavyweight champion, in a match that is shaping up to be the most controversial event in the current wave of crossover boxing matches.
Tyson appeared to be in excellent fighting shape during his exhibition boxing match against Jones, which ended in a draw on November 28, 2020 and has continued to impress in training videos posted on social media. Tyson’s last professional fight was in 2005, and he retired after two consecutive losses. The New York City-born fighter reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990.
“[Paul has] grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ‘kid’ can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT,” Tyson said in a statement posted to ESPN. “It’s a full-circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch, as I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones, and now I plan to finish him.”
As for Paul (9-1, 6 KOs), he went on to beat former UFC stars such as Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley after the Robinson knockout in big-money main events. The fighter from Cleveland has since pivoted to fighting boxers who have more experience than him to gain seasoning with an eye toward one day competing for a world championship. Paul, who turned pro only four years ago, is coming off back-to-back first-round knockouts of journeymen Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard,” Paul said in a statement. “Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons. Within just two and a half years of founding MVP, we’re about to produce the biggest fight in history, a fight in the biggest NFL stadium in the US, broadcast live, on the biggest streaming platform in the world — a testament to all we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time.”
Paul was featured in an episode of the Netflix series “Untold” last year. Netflix, which is moving aggressively into live sports, streamed the Netflix Cup, a competition between Formula 1 drivers and golfers, and the Netflix Slam, a tennis match, in the last four months.
