Mike Tyson’s upcoming fight against Jake Paul in Texas this summer has been sanctioned as a competitive boxing match rather than an exhibition, with the rounds being shorter and the gloves being heavier. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation recently approved terms for the July 20 fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. This highly anticipated match will be broadcast live on Netflix, featuring 27-year-old Paul, a social media star-turned-boxer, against the 57-year-old Tyson, who hasn’t fought since an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020.
A Department of Licensing and Regulation spokesperson confirmed that this will be a professional bout with a referee and judges, and the results will count as part of the fighters’ professional records, making it an actual competitive fight. The fight is scheduled for eight two-minute rounds, as opposed to the standard three-minute rounds in most men’s pro fights. Additionally, the boxers’ gloves will weigh 14 ounces instead of the standard 10 ounces, which will reduce the power of punches thrown during the match.
When approving terms for fights, the department’s combative sports staff takes various factors into consideration, such as each contestant’s age, medical tests, win-loss record, and previous losses by knockout or technical knockout. Jake Paul, with a significant following as a YouTube influencer, began his professional boxing career four years ago and has won nine of his 10 fights, with six knockouts against mostly undistinguished opponents, including mixed martial artists and a fellow YouTuber.
On the other hand, Mike Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 and retired in 2005 after winning 50 fights, 44 by knockout. Former world champion boxer Timothy Bradley predicts that Tyson will knock out Jake Paul in their upcoming bout, showcasing the level of excitement and anticipation surrounding this unique match-up. With the fight being classified as a competitive boxing match, fans can expect to see a clash between the veteran Tyson and the emerging Paul, in an event that will surely captivate viewers and make headlines in the world of combat sports.
