The boxing fight which will pit former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson against YouTube star Jake Paul on July 20 will be considered a professional fight, the two boxers and the organizers announced on Monday.
The fight, in eight two-minute rounds, will take place in Dallas (Texas).
Tyson’s last professional fight was in 2005; his last victory in 2003 against Clifford Etienne.
The officialization of this fight, which will be broadcast on Netflix, was uncertain, in particular because of the age difference between Tyson, who will be 58 years old on June 30, and Paul, 27 years old.
“Mike Tyson wanted it to be a pro fight. Netflix wanted it to be a pro fight. So I agreed to make it a pro fight,” said the YouTuber on his X account.
The co-founder of the company Most Valuable Promotions, which organizes this fight, Nakisa Bidarian, confirmed, explaining that everything had been done to meet the requirements of the Texas commission responsible for granting licenses for boxing fights.
During his tumultuous career, Tyson won 50 victories, 44 of which were by knockout. but also suffered six defeats, sometimes completely unexpected as in 1990 when he was dethroned by James “Buster” Douglas in Tokyo.
His last world championship dates back to 2002, in Memphis, where the Briton Lennox Lewis sent him to the mat in the eighth round.
Tyson beat Clifford Etienne the following year but then suffered two defeats against Danny Williams in 2004 and then Kevin McBride in 2005, announcing his retirement from sport.
Jake Paul has 9 victories including six before the limit for a defeat.