Social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul will fight former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, Netflix announced Thursday.
The streaming platform will provide live coverage of the bout between the 27-year-old Paul and 57-year-old Tyson, who hasn’t fought since he and Roy Jones Jr. met in a 2020 exhibition that ended as a draw.
A short video trailer posted by Netflix shows Paul getting off a helicopter on a rooftop and then coming face to face with Tyson.
Paul built a significant fan following as a YouTube influencer and turned professional in boxing four years ago. He has won nine of 10 fights with six knockouts against mostly undistinguished opponents. His only loss came last year to Tommy Fury, half-brother of WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury.
“Iron Mike” Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987-90, and retired in 2005 after winning 50 fights, 44 by knockout.
“My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of the world, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. Time to put Iron Mike to sleep,” Paul wrote on social media.
In a separate post, Paul added: “He’s the greatest heavyweight of all time…the most vicious KO artist ever. But I’m younger, I’m faster and I’m going to be working my ass off to get stronger.”
Paul’s second professional fight was on the undercard of the Tyson-Jones fight. His most recent fight was last Saturday, when he knocked out Ryan Bourland.
“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. “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 off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”
AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, can seat about 80,000 people. It’s unclear how many seats would be available for the Paul-Tyson fight.
Source : Cbs News
