Janice R. Andrews
Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight world champion, has made it clear that his July 20th boxing matchup with YouTuber Jake Paul would be considered an exhibition battle rather than an actual combat. The much awaited fight between Tyson, who will be 58 years old when the fight takes place, and Paul, who will be 27 years old, is scheduled to take place in Texas.
Even though it is being called an exhibition, Tyson, whose professional career ended in 2005, stressed that the fight will not be taken lightly. The regulations under which we will be battling are not listed in the ‘exhibition’ that is being billed here. This is combat,” said Tyson. The fight is anticipated to draw a lot of interest since Paul’s unusual climb to prominence via social media contrasts dramatically with Tyson’s long history of boxing.
With nine victories and one loss in his professional career, Jake Paul defeated Ryan Bourland last month to score his most recent triumph. Though he’s most known for his antics on YouTube, Paul has dabbled in professional boxing, frequently going up against former UFC competitors. In February 2023, he suffered his lone loss at the hands of British boxer Tommy Fury.
Tyson and Paul’s exhibition fight, which is scheduled to be streamed live on Netflix, will not have an impact on their professional records. The event will take place in Arlington’s in&T Stadium, home field of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, which has 80,000 seats.
About the details of the show, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) explained that fighters will participate in two-minute rounds, wear bigger gloves (16 oz), and fight in fewer rounds than in official professional bouts. Additionally, judges are not present in exhibition matches, in contrast to professional fights, and a victor is not announced at the conclusion of the competition.
In April 2020, Mike Tyson and fellow boxing veteran Roy Jones Jr. squared off in an exhibition match that ended in a tie. In light of his impending fight with Paul, Tyson said he was eager for the battle and noted Paul’s transformation from an online celebrity to a real fighter. “This guy is gonna come, he’s gonna try to hurt me, which I’m accustomed to, and he’s gonna be greatly mistaken,” Tyson said.
At the age of 20, Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He has had a remarkable career, with 50 victories and 6 losses. Outside of the ring, meanwhile, his life has been turbulent due to legal issues; in 1992, he was sentenced to prison for rape, and in 1999, he was found guilty of assault by road rage.
Boxing fans and Tyson and Paul supporters alike are getting more and more excited as the exhibition battle date approaches. The event promises to be exciting and intriguing despite its unconventional format, combining professional boxing with modern entertainment into a singular spectacle.
