Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, separated by 31 years of age, prepare to enter the ring in Texas. Discover the details of this extraordinary match between the boxing legend and the YouTube star.
Mike Tyson58 years old, and Jake Paul27, were supposed to face each other on July 20, but the fight was postponed due to Tyson’s health issues. The meeting is now scheduled for November 15th.
For fans in Switzerland, the event will be held on Saturday night. Depending on the length of the preliminary fights, Tyson and Paul are expected to enter the ring around 5am.
The game will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which can seat up to 80,000 spectators and is the largest stadium in the NFL.
Netflix will broadcast the event exclusively, allowing its 280 million subscribers around the world to watch the match.
Although many seats are still available, ticket prices have been reduced to around 32 francs in the hope of filling the stadium by Friday. The best seats, with full VIP service, cost 43,500 francs.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul before the launch.
Keystone
Mike Tyson, the legend
Mike Tyson won his first world heavyweight title at 20 years and 144 days, becoming the youngest champion in history. He has won many other titles and is also known for biting the ear of Evander Holyfield in 1997.
Outside the ring, Tyson often made headlines for fights, drunk driving and drug possession. In 1991 he was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual harassment and bodily harm, but was released after three years. In 1999 he was again convicted of causing bodily harm, serving only a few months of a two-year sentence.
As a professional boxer, Tyson fought in 58 fights, winning 50 of them, 44 of which were by knockout. After retiring in 2005, he announced his return several times, but did not always fight. His last fight was in 2020, when he faced Roy Jones Jr. in a friendly match that ended in a draw.
Jake Paul, lo youtuber
Jake Paul became famous as a Youtuber and starred in the Disney series «Bizaardvark». He also released a hit song with the band Team 10.
In 2020 Paul began his career as a professional boxer, fighting ten fights and winning nine, six by knockout. However, his opponents have been mostly low-key. The only defeat came against Tommy Furyhalf-brother of the WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
One of the biggest sporting events of the year
The fight between Tyson and Paul will attract a lot of attention, thanks to the broadcast on Netflix which could reach millions of viewers, making it one of the biggest sporting events of the year, along with the Paris Olympics and the European football championships in Germany.
Although the match has no sporting significance, organizers hope to set records, such as the largest number of spectators for an indoor fighting event in the United States.
This bout follows the trend of recent years of Internet celebrities competing against each other or famous boxers. It all started in 2021, when Logan PaulJake’s brother, faced the legend Floyd Mayweatherin a match that disappointed many spectators.
Although the bout is officially sanctioned as a heavyweight fight, it is mostly a show. Two clues confirm this: the rounds last only two minutes instead of the usual three, and 14-ounce training gloves are used instead of the harder 10-ounce gloves found in professional fights.
Opponents compared
Tyson, at 58, is no longer young and his last fight was four years ago, while his last serious fight was almost 20 years ago. However, he is training hard to prove that he is still fit.
Jake Paul, 31 years younger, is arguably more agile, but has faced few notable opponents. The only serious opponent was Tommy Fury, against whom he suffered his only defeat.
A meeting worth a fortune
In addition to the visibility, Tyson and Paul will also earn a lot of money. Although official figures were not disclosed, Paul said he will earn $40 million (CHF34.8 million).
Tyson is said to receive around $20 million (CHF17.4 million), although other sources put a total of $80 million, with both boxers receiving the same sum.
