Mike Tyson, 57, to Return to Boxing for Live Match Against Jake Paul, 27, on Netflix
Paul said the fight against Tyson is "a chance to prove myself" as a boxer
Mike Tyson is stepping back in the ring to box Jake Paul in a live special on Netflix this summer.
The streaming giant announced the boxing match on Thursday, saying the match will take place Saturday, July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Paul, 27, said in a statement that he “could not be more excited” about the match with 57-year-old Tyson, who was one of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport.
“My sights are set on becoming a world champion, 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,” the social media influencer-turned-boxer said. “This will be the fight of a lifetime.”
Tyson went 50-6-2 throughout his career from 1985-2005, winning 44 of his matches via knockout. His dominance as a heavyweight boxer earned him nicknames such as “Iron Mike” and “The Baddest Man on the Planet,” and he was inducted into the boxing hall of fame in 2011.
“I'm very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas,” Tyson said in a statement through Netflix. “He's 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. 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.”
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Paul, who rose to fame as a social media influencer alongside his brother Logan Paul, made his boxing debut in a 2018 fight against English YouTuber personality Deji Olatunji. He continued to book more matches in the coming years against YouTube personalities, former NBA player Nate Robinson and a handful of current and former UFC stars, including Anderson Silva, Tommy Fury and Nate Diaz.
Paul launched his Most Valuable Promotions boxing organization in 2021 alongside adviser Nakisa Bidarian.
Although Tyson retired from competitive boxing in 2005, he has since participated in exhibition matches, which typically see the boxers display less effort. Tyson was criticized for appearing to take it easy during an exhibition match in 2006 that was panned as “more of a sparring session than two fighters trying to knock each other out,” according to Boxing Scene.
Tyson most recently fought Roy Jones Jr. to a split draw in November 2020 in an event that featured Snoop Dogg on commentary.
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Gabe Spitzer, Netflix’s Vice President of Nonfiction Sports, said Tyson’s match with Paul will provide “pure drama in the ring,” while Bidarian said Tyson vs. Paul is “a once in a lifetime dream matchup.”
“We hope it will be the most-watched boxing event in modern boxing history,” Bidarian said.
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