ARLINGTON, Texas: Social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul will fight former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, Netflix announced Thursday.
The streaming platform will provide live coverage of the bout between the 27-year-old Paul and 57-year-old Tyson, who hasn’t fought since he took on Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition in November 2020. Paul and Tyson will be the main event of the first combat sports show for Netflix in its recent forays into live sports production.
It’s still uncertain whether this bout will be staged as an actual pro fight or an exhibition, particularly given the age of Tyson, who will be 58 by July. The specifics still must be approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which regulates boxing in the state.
Tyson posts workout videos on social media in which he looks sharp in training, but boxing is dangerous at any age. The California State Athletic Commission required his bout against Jones to be an exhibition — essentially a lively sparring session.
Paul built a significant fan following as a YouTube influencer before he embarked on a professional boxing career four years ago. He has won nine of 10 fights with six knockouts against mostly undistinguished opponents, including several mixed martial artists and a fellow YouTuber.
The fight card at the Dallas Cowboys’ home stadium will be the third venture into live sporting events for Netflix, which staged a golf/auto racing crossover event last November. Last weekend, the streaming giant held The Netflix Slam, an exhibition tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas.
