JAKE PAUL and Mike Tyson have confirmed a blockbuster boxing showdown for this summer.
The stunning bout will be aired live on Netflix.
The date for the fight has been set for Saturday, July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
A video shared on Netflix’s official accounts on social media announced the clash.
Influencer-turned-boxer Paul was seen arriving on a helicopter and jumping off on to a helipad where Tyson was located.
The pair were then seen face to face.
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Former heavyweight world champion Tyson will be 58 at the time of the fight.
Meanwhile, Paul will be 27 years old, meaning the age gap between them when they touch gloves will be 31 years.
Even Netflix themselves appeared to be surprised they were announcing the news.
They said: “It’s JAKE PAUL vs. MIKE TYSON — yes, really! — in a LIVE BOXING event at AT&T Stadium you won’t want to miss.
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“Airing live on Netflix Saturday, July 20 #PaulTyson.”
Fans were convinced Netflix were pulling their legs over the fight.
One said: “This fight is definitely fake 😂.”
A second said: “We have to be so close to breaking the simulation because what the ever-loving f*** is happening here?! 😭.”
A third declared: “Biggest fight in history of the sport.”
Another added: “What is happening…”
In a statement on shock fight, Paul said: “It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard.
“Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons.
“Within just two and a half years of founding MVP, we’re about to produce the biggest fight in history, a fight in the biggest NFL stadium in the US, broadcast live, on the biggest streaming platform in the world – a testament to all we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time.”
Tyson said: “I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“He’s grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ‘kid’ can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT.
“It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), claims to have signed a deal with Netflix for a boxing card last November.
As quoted by ESPN, Bidarian said: “Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a once-in-a-lifetime dream matchup and I anticipate it will be the most-watched boxing event in modern boxing history.”
Members of the boxing community were equally left stunned by the news, including Paul’s rival KSI.
Taking to social media, he said: “50+ years old. No one wanted this…So sad to see man…”
It is not yet clear how the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, who regulate combat sports in the state, will approach the bout.
Floyd Mayweather’s fight with Manny Pacquiao in 2015 got 4.6 million pay-per-view buys.
However, Netflix have more than 260 million paid subscribers to their platform.
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Tyson was last in the ring in 2020 when he faced Roy Jones Jr. while Paul’s last fight came against Ryan Bourland.
Paul is said to have a net worth of £27million, while Tyson is estimated to be worth just shy of £8m.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
