Jake Paul: Mike Tyson wanted their fight sanctioned

Field Level Media|published: Fri 3rd May, 17:31 2024

Dec 15, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Jake Paul gives a press conference after knocking out Andre August in the first round at the Caribe Royale Orlando. credits: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Jake Paul is telling the world that he agreed to Mike Tyson's request for their bout to be sanctioned.

And as such, the eight-round boxing match between Paul and Tyson on July 20 at Arlington, Texas, officially will be conducted as a professional fight by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations.

Netflix will livestream the fight, with each of the eight scheduled rounds to be two minutes.

Paul (9-1, eight knockouts) addressed the elephant in the room as he prepares to fight Tyson (50-6, 44 knockouts), who will turn 58 in June.

"(My detractors are) just going to say he's old and you disrespected him and all that (expletive), but I just want to make it clear, Mike Tyson was the one who wanted it to be a pro fight," Paul said on his weekly podcast.

"Mike got into training camp and called up people on my team and were like, ‘Let's do a pro fight. Is Jake down?' Netflix was like, ‘Let's make it a pro fight. We're down,' And I said to Nakisa (Bidarian, Paul's manager and business partner), ‘If that's what Mike wants, then that's fine, but make sure you tell Mike that there's no holding back.'

"Whatever happens, happens, and this is war now. If Mike's OK with that, then I'm OK with that. But I want Mike to be the one making this decision because I respect him as the legend. If he puts me down, I can deal with that. But if I put him down, he needs to be the one making the decision on whether or not he can deal with that. But yes, I'm going in there and now it's a pro fight, it's on my record, and I'm going to (expletive) put him down. And if people are (expletive) about it, then watch soccer."

Tyson's publicist, Joann Mignano, said the rules proposed to the former heavyweight champion were two-minute rounds for a scheduled eight rounds. "However, Mike is happy with the two-minute rounds because it gives Jake less of an opportunity to run around," Mignano told USA Today.

Paul, 27, is a YouTube sensation with 4.6 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, and 27 million on Instagram. He most recently defeated journeyman boxer Ryan Bourland.

Tyson has not seen action since an exhibition-fight draw with Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020. His last professional fight came in 2005, a loss to Kevin McBride.

—Field Level Media

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