Boxing legend Mike Tyson is finally set to face off against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul after much fanfare and an unexpected delay.
The two were originally scheduled for a bout in July, but the fight was delayed due to an “ulcer flare-up” that Tyson experienced on a flight to Los Angeles in May.
However, Tyson showed that the fighting spirit that made him a huge star in the 1980s remains, as he issued a statement on the highly anticipated event.
“While we have a new date, the result will be the same no matter when we fight. Jake Paul is getting knocked out,” Tyson said in his statement earlier this year.
Paul showed he’s also no slouch in the tough-talking department when he shared a statement of his own with Netflix about the fight’s delay.
“I fully support postponing the event so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night,” he said. “My fans know I don’t want to face Iron Mike at anything but his best, but let there be no mistake—when he steps into the ring with me, I will be ready to claim my W with a sensational finish. Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson will be one for the ages, and I promise to bring my best for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup.”
In the months leading up to the bout, much has been made of the two entering the ring, not least because at 58, Tyson is 31 years Paul’s senior.
Newsweek has taken a look at the details surrounding the bout.
When Is the Fight?
The fight is set to take place on Friday, November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas—home to the NFL‘s Dallas Cowboys—from 8 p.m. ET.
It hasn’t been specified what time Tyson and Paul will enter the ring.
How Do You Watch the Fight?
Bucking the precedent of pay-per-view fights, the Tyson-Paul showdown will be streamed exclusively on Netflix—not as a pay-per-view event.
Rather than charge separately for boxing fans tuning in, the streaming giant will show the fight to new and existing subscribers.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul Clash at Weigh-in
Chaos erupted at the official weigh-in for their fight on Thursday, when Tyson struck Paul in the face as they faced one another on the stage.
Paul approached Tyson on his arms and legs, and then rose up to meet his opponent eye-to-eye. Tyson slapped Paul in the face, before their respective entourages and security stepped in to prevent the situation from escalating.
“Talking’s over,” Tyson said and walked off stage. In response, Paul smiled as he sat down on the ground in a meditation pose and closed his eyes.
“I didn’t even feel it. He’s angry. He’s an angry little elf,” Paul later told media. “Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked out.”
Paul later referred to the slap on social media after the weigh-in, writing on X: “This is a pinch me moment. I got slapped by Mike Tyson.”
Jake Paul’s Boxing Record
Paul emerged on the boxing scene in 2020 when he faced off against fellow YouTube star, AnEsonGib. Paul would eventually win by TKO against AnEsonGib in the first round, securing a 1-0 record.
Paul’s boxing record currently stands at 10 wins and one loss. His victories have tended to come against aging specialists of other combat sports, such as mixed martial arts.
Mike Tyson’s Boxing Record
Tyson, who in 1986 became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at just 20, became known for a ferocious fighting style and racked up a string of first-round knockouts before retiring in 2005 with a tally of 50 wins and six losses.
Forty-four of “Iron Mike” Tyson’s wins have been knockouts.
While Tyson has long held a reputation as a formidable pugilist, it is almost two decades since he retired from the sport.
Who Will Win?
Multiple betting outlets have Paul as the odds-on favorite to win the fight, with his age being cited as a decisive factor.
“Tyson has always been a charismatic individual and a destructive force in the ring—but that was over 20 years ago!” Mike Silver, a boxing historian and author of the 2014 book The Arc of Boxing: The Rise and Decline of the Sweet Science, previously told Newsweek.
“The Tyson of 2000 would have put Paul in the hospital and the match would never be allowed,” he added. “The 58 year old Tyson’s best chance is to nail him with his best punch—either body or head—in the first or second round.”
Sportscaster Jim Lampley, who has covered boxing for nearly 40 years, also told Newsweek recently that part of what makes this contest a “saleable event” is the fact that Tyson could pull off the upset.
“There is a reason for Jake to be concerned, too,” Lampley warned.
The post When Is the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul Fight? Time, Streaming Details appeared first on Newsweek.
