It looked, on paper, like a fantasy match between two people rather far removed from boxing at the highest level today. But the fight between Jake Paul (27 years old), the influencer and younger brother of the now wrestler Logan Paul, and the former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson (57 years old) will finally be classified and will count in the professional results of both fighters.
The organization confirmed this change in status of the fight in a press release sent to ESPN. “Mike Tyson and Jake Paul committed to fighting each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional bout that would have a definitive outcome. Over the past six weeks, MVP (Most Valuable Promotions, the fight promoter) has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul vs. Tyson, and we are grateful to ‘have arrived there. »
“Since the fight was announced, questions have been raised about the rules to be followed, given that the two fighters are more than three decades apart in age,” the statement continued. ESPN specifies that “this 31-year age gap (Tyson will be 58 when he enters the ring) will be the largest in professional boxing history, eclipsing the 24-year gap between Archie Moore (49 years) and Mike DiBiase (25) when they met in 1963.”
Eight 2-minute rounds
Three decades and a world of difference between Jake Paul, who launched into boxing in 2018 for matches that had more appeal to entertainment than professional boxing, and Mike Tyson, 50 victories including 44 by KO in 58 fights in his career. But despite the very intense videos of his training that he posts on the Internet and his still, it seems, decent form, Tyson has not fought professionally for almost 20 years, and a defeat against Kevin McBride on June 11, 2005.
Jake Paul, for his part, has a record of 9 victories, including 6 by knockout, and 1 defeat in his first 10 professional matches. If he has fought non-boxers, like former NBA player Nate Robinson or MMA fighters Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Nate Diaz, he has also recently clashed with seasoned boxers like Tommy Fury, brother of world champion (defeat by split decision) or Ryan Bourland (victory by KO). His big brother, Logan, who has since converted to WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), fought in 2021 against Floyd Mayweather.
The highly anticipated fight, which is part of a long line of unexpected and high-profile matches involving Internet stars in the world of boxing in recent years, will be broadcast on Netflix. The fight, which will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington (Texas), will therefore take place over eight 2-minute rounds.
