Jake Paul, Mike Tyson fight planned for July: “Yes, really!"
A scene from the Netflix promo trailer for the fight.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will meet in the ring this summer, despite a 30-year age difference.
The bout between the boxing legend and the YouTube star will take place July 20 live on Netflix at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, the streaming service announced Thursday.
"Yes, really!" Netflix’s announcement insisted, a nod to the seemingly unlikely matchup between the 57-year-old Tyson and the 27-year-old Paul.
"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 Netflix press release about the bout. "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."
"He's grown significantly as a boxer over the years," Tyson said of Paul, "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 off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him."
Who is Mike Tyson?
File: Former US boxer Mike Tyson poses as he inaugurates a boxing ring in the Carlton Hotel, in Cannes southern France, on June 16, 2023. (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Mike Tyson is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, reigning as the world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, when he was knocked out by Buster Douglas in one of the sport’s biggest upsets.
Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992 and served three years in prison before returning to the ring. He infamously bit off a portion of Buster Douglas’ ear in a 1997 rematch.
He retired from the ring in 2005 and has occasionally taken roles as a product pitchman while hosting TV series, podcasts, and appearing in films.
Who is Jake Paul?
File: Jake Paul celebrates after defeating AnEsonGib in a first round knockout during their fight at Meridian at Island Gardens on January 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Jake Paul is an internet personality who parlayed streaming success into a boxing career. He and his brother Logan found early success on the social media app Vine, then moved over to YouTube when Vine shut down.
He later moved into music before his first boxing match in 2018. His current record is 9-1 with 6 KOs.
Like Tyson, Paul has been at the center of several controversies, ranging from wild behavior in connection with his streaming channel to allegations of cryptocurrency fraud.