After being hyped up for months, the Mike Tyson v Jake Paul fight is finally going down tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 16th), and Netflix has confirmed all of the details of the hugely controversial fight.
The fight between the legendary (but considerably older) Mike Tyson and Youtuber-turned-boxer (and annoying) Jake Paul was originally planned for July but was pushed back due to Tyson suffering a medical emergency.
Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up, resulting in him losing about 11kgs and needing time to recover, but by the end of July, was reportedly back into training and has been in good health ever since.
The bout is all going down this Saturday afternoon at the prestigious AT&T stadium in Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and is sanctioned as a pro-fight with some modifications.
When is the fight and how do I watch it?
The fight will be streamed live on Netflix, so as long as you have a Netflix subscription, you’ll be able to watch it from wherever you are at no extra cost.
The broadcast will begin from 2pm NZT, but the boxing card will include seven other fights, all before the main event of Tyson taking on Paul.
Main Card (live on Netflix)
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano
Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos
Neeraj Goyat vs. Whindersson Nunes
Prelims (live on MVP & Netflix Sports YouTube)
Shadasia Green vs. Melinda Watpool
Lucas Bahdi vs. Armando Casamonica
Bruce Carrington Jr. vs. Dana Coolwell
What are the fight rules?
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations has now approved amended rules to suit the unique and controversial nature of this fight.
Netflix has confirmed that each round will last only two minutes instead of the usual three, and there will be eight rounds instead of the standard 12 seen in most professional men's bouts.
The glove weight has also been increased from 10 ounces to 14 ounces to lessen punch impact and, despite safety concerns, neither fighter will wear headgear.
If no knockout occurs, three judges will score the fight as usual.
What’s the age gap between Tyson and Paul?
Tyson is 58 years old and Paul is 27 - making their age difference a hefty 31 years.
Tyson retired in 2005 with a record of 50-6, including 44 knockouts, after his final bout and loss against Kevin McBride. He returned for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. five years ago.
Paul, on the other hand, holds a record of 10-1 with seven knockouts, mostly against lesser-known opponents, with his only loss coming at the hands of Tommy Fury, the younger half-brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Despite the age gap, Tyson insists he is physically ready for the fight. Speaking about Paul, Tyson said “I think he’s a great person but as a fighter I think he’s inferior,” as reported by the BBC.
What are the odds?
Paul is currently favoured at the TAB with odds of $1.57, while a Tyson win is set at $2.75. A draw or technical draw has longer odds, paying out at $9.50.
When it comes to this fight, some people are excited for it, some reckon it’ll be rigged, and some are simply just sick of hearing about it. No matter what though, I reckon it'll be an interesting one to chuck on the TV and watch, or at least to hear who wins.
In the meantime before tomorrow, you can watch Netflix’s three part documentary series ‘Countdown: Paul vs Tyson,’ following both of their training camps and lives as they prepare for the boxing match.
