Mike Tyson made unusual rule request for Netflix fight vs Jake Paul that was approved by Texas Athletic Commission
Mike Tyson was the one who pushed for a controversial rule change in his upcoming fight with Jake Paul.
Everyone has been excited about the prospect of Iron Mike taking on the YouTuber since it was announced.
While some thought it might never go ahead with how long we’ve had to wait, it’s finally around the corner.
As the first-of-its-kind Netflix streamed event, Brits only have to wait until 4am for it to kick off at the AT&T Stadium in Texas, USA.
Considering someone paid $2 million for a ticket and more than 70,000 people are expected to be in attendance, it’s surely going to be worth the watch.
But there’s something you may not know about the rules, which is all down to Tyson’s request.
The pair will face-off at 4am (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
The biggest ever American boxing event outside of Las Vegas will see there be shorter rounds and fewer of them too.
The rounds will be two minutes long instead of three, and there will be eight rounds in total instead of 12.
The rules for this fight are different than standard heavyweight fights, and their gloves will weight 14 pounds instead of 10.
As his first pro bout since his defeat to Ireland’s Kevin McBride almost 20 years ago, Tyson has been scaring fans with his crazy eyes as he gears up for the win this time around.
‘Iron Mike’ put forward the request to the local commission to change the rounds, as he believes it’ll give fans more entertainment.
“I wanted shorter rounds for more action. If we have shorter rounds, we’ll fight more. More action,” he has said when asked why he was requesting a rule change.
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, shared: “It was [Tyson’s] choice, not that Jake didn’t want to do it [as a sanctioned fight].
“We were bringing Mike Tyson back into the sport, and I believe that it was more meaningful as a pro fight.”
Jake Paul is about to have the fight of his life (Instagram/@jakepaul)
The 58-year-old has been showing off his hand speed in the run up to his fight against the 27-year-old YouTuber.
During his session at Tuesday’s open workout, his fans were left amazed at how much he’s been preparing for the bout.
He went on to speak in the ring after the open workout, and said: “When I agreed to this fight and I started training, I said, ‘What the [expletive] am I thinking of?’
“And I finished the process and now the fight’s the party.
“All the hard work is done.”
Both men have been battling with their tempers hours before the fight, with Iron Mike slapping Paul at their promo meet-up.
Considering Tyson hasn’t fought in a pro setting since 2005, and only returned to action in 2020 when he came up against Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition, fans are excited to see him back in the ring.
Paul, who is relatively new, has 11 pro fights to his name and hasn’t been seen since his TKO victory over Mike Perry last July.
Let’s see how the shorter rounds benefit the competitors in tonight’s fight.
Featured Image Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images /Ayisha Collins/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024
The 27-year-old YouTuber turned boxer will be taking on a 58-year-old Tyson, as Netflix host their first ever live broadcast at the 80,000 capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Paul said he wants to face off against the ‘old savage Mike’ and appears to be relishing the challenge.
As security raced in to separate the fighters, a rattled Paul said: “I didn’t even feel it, he’s angry. He’s an angry little elf.
“Mike Tyson, I thought that was a cute slap, buddy, but tomorrow you’re getting knocked the f*** out.
“I’m f***ing him up, Ariel, I’m f***ing him up. He hits like a b****… It’s personal now, it’s personal now. He must die!”
Although this isn’t the reason why the two athletes are facing a suspension, no matter who wins.
Mike Tyson unexpectedly slapped Jake Paul at the weigh in last night (Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
As reported by the Mirror, Paul said it was his opponent who pushed for the match to be a professional contest, instead of an exhibition.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation since implemented a condition that the duo would be suspended for rest for a minimum of seven days.
Regulations reportedly state that each boxer will be told to rest for three days for per round fought.
This means that they are both facing a maximum of 24 days rest, given that the pair will meet over eight rounds.
Also, if any of the fighters lose by technical knockout (TKO), the beaten boxer will be suspended for a minimum of 30 days.
The world will be watching live on Netflix (Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)
This article contains affiliate links and LADbible Group might make a commission on anything purchased.
The regulations state: “Medical disqualification of a contestant is for their own safety and may be made at the recommendation of the examining physician or TDLR.
“A contestant who disagrees with a medical disqualification, medical suspension or rest period set at the discretion of a ringside physician or a disqualification or suspension set by the department may request a hearing to show proof of fitness.”
Despite the potential ban, you’d think that neither Paul or Tyson will likely fight again within such a short period of time.
If you do plan to tune in this evening, the undercard for Mike Tyson Vs Jake Paul is set to take place around 1am our time, while the main event is thought to begin around 4am.
How to watch Paul vs. Tyson if you don’t have Netflix
If you don’t already have Netflix, there is a workaround to essentially get it for free as part of a package deal. At the moment Sky is currently offering Netflix, Sky Stream, with Sky TV and Sky Full Fibre 300 Broadband, all for just £36 as part of its Black Friday deal. And given that its Full Fibre 300 broadband is usually £29 a month, for just £10 more you’ll also get access to Sky TV and Netflix for not much more
Ahead of the Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson epic fight, fans have noticed the same thing when it comes to Tyson which they reckon means the fight is already decided.
This first-of-its-kind Netflix streamed event is ready to kick off tonight at the AT&T Stadium in Texas, USA.
Both men have been seen battling with their tempers just hours before the fight is due to take place, with Iron Mike slapping Paul at their promo meet-up.
With more than 70,000 people expected to be in attendance, and someone who paid $2 million for a ticket (crazy business), this fight is currently holding the title of the biggest ever American boxing event outside of Las Vegas.
Because fans can also watch it on Netflix, it’s expected to rake in over 280 million online viewers.
As tensions have been mounting and the clock has been counting down the hours until we’ll finally find out whether Paul (who’s been talking some mad smack to Tyson) can overthrow one of the world’s greatest.
Tyson has been gearing up for his fight tonight (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
This massive amount of attention on the fight has brought fans to follow Tyson’s journey to beefing up via TikTok.
There have been so many videos showing him preparing for the fight ahead with rigorous training and some pretty gnarly fight training videos.
But there was one thing viewers all noticed about Iron Mike, and if it’s true, Paul is dust.
It’s his eyes in recent footage.
During a conversation with BBC Sport, Tyson was asked about Paul, what he thinks of him and how he predicts the fight will go.
While the fighter shared that he thinks that ‘Jake is a great person’ he is also an ‘inferior’ fighter which means that he’s ‘in a lot of trouble’.
While his words were cold when it came to talking about the fight, his eyes were even colder.
People in the comments called it out immediately, and some were even excited about what it means for tonight.
One person wrote: “The eyes are back!!!!”
Another commented: “The thousand yard stare is terrifying.”
Someone else predicted: “This Tyson is more scary than Iron Mike. The calm and collected but straight killer eyes and mind. This is going to be interesting.”
Fans think Tyson is ready to do some real damage (TikTok/@bbcsport)
Finally, another commenter wrote: “That is not the same Mike Tyson I’m used to seeing. He doesn’t even look like the same man. Jake Paul awakened the darkness in Mike, and you can physically see it in his face.”
Paul and Tyson are set to do their ring walk at around 10pm local time at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium in Arlington, Texas, which is around 4am tomorrow for us UK people.
At the stadium, there are six other fights taking place, such as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano fighting in the co-main event for the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO lightweight titles.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation have sanctioned the event too, which means that the result will go on each boxer’s records.
The rules are also different than standard heavyweight fights, as their gloves will be 14 pounds heavier instead of 10, and this padding will allow them to land softer punches.
Rounds will also be two minutes long instead of three, and there will be eight rounds instead of 12.
For all at home, you can expect to see a once-in-a-lifetime fight between the pair and find out who’s going to reign supreme
No, it’s not the fact that a 27-year-old is going to be fighting someone who will be 31 years his senior by the time they step into the ring, and who doctors have issued health warnings to.
Nor is it (this time at least) the announcement that this fight was going to have two minute rounds, with Tyson calling it ‘an exhibition’ but promising that viewers will be in for a proper fight.
In fact, despite what Tyson previously said, the fight has now been sanctioned as a professional bout, meaning it’ll go on the boxer’s professional records.
Jake Paul was an eight-year-old the last time Tyson fought a professional bout, the then-38-year-old picking up his sixth career loss to Kevin McBride in 2005.
People aren’t fancying his chances after this latest update. (YouTube/Jake Paul)
This time, the thing people are worried about is the report from ESPN which says there will be no headgear worn by the boxers.
It’s going to be up to eight rounds of two minutes each, but boxing fans are worried that the lack of headgear and the allowance for knockouts means someone is going to get their block knocked off.
In a fight between a 27-year-old and a 58-year-old your money would probably go on the younger man, but people reacting to the ‘no headgear’ rule are wondering if Paul is ‘literally going to die in one hit’.
Tyson is the boxer who won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, and a dozen of those in the first round.
Of course in those days he hadn’t even turned 20 yet and when he steps into the ring with Paul it’ll be the widest age gap ever seen in a professional boxing match, but plenty still remember what ‘Iron Mike’ could do in the ring.
Are you sure you don’t want some headgear against those fists? Then again, can Tyson still swing ’em like he used to? (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Others have said this fight is ‘not a joke anymore’ after the rules were announced and guessed that ‘Jake probably running this whole fight then’.
Social media has declared the YouTuber turned boxer ‘cooked’ and predicted Tyson to ‘have a damn field day’.
“I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul,” Tyson previously said of his upcoming fight.
“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.
“Now I plan to finish him.”
That sounds ominous.
The fight will take place on 20 July and be streamed on Netflix.
The 57-year-old is getting himself in tip top shape before he steps into the ring for the first time in four years to face the former YouTuber.
Iron Mike hasn’t fought since an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr in 2020, which was scored as a draw.
Meanwhile, this will be Paul’s second fight of 2024 following his win over professional boxer Ryan Bourland.
The pair agreed on personal terms last month and Netflix will be the platform-of-choice that’ll be streaming the controversial match-up, which will take place in the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Despite rubbing purists up the wrong way, Paul has his sights firmly ‘set on becoming a world champion’, and in order to prove himself, he must go against the man who many regard as the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time’.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard,” the 27-year-old said on X.
“Within just two and a half years of founding MVP (Most Valuable Promotions), 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.”
Ahead of the bout, however, Tyson will have to pass brain and heart scans, according to Tela Mange, Communications Manager of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations.
Fighters over the age of 36 must provide results from an electroencephalogram (EEG) and an electrocardiogram (EKG) test to compete in the ring.
Instagram/@miketyson
EEG is used for brain evaluation, while EKG is for the heart.
“We can also request additional testing if we think it’s appropriate,’’ Mange told USA Today Sports.
“It’s pretty common for a promoter to request a date several months out but not immediately provide the proposed card.”
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, has also taken to social media to address the ‘fake’ rumours surrounding the fight.
There were even rumours on social media that the rounds would be two minutes instead of three, and 16oz gloves would be used, rather than 10oz.
Some even suggested that there would be no judges present to score the fight.
Bidarian said: “Breaking news, there is no news. Stop spreading fake news. There’s no truth to all this stuff around Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.
“Here’s what is true, one; Mike Tyson is in unbelievable shape and training like he hasn’t in many, many years and is looking scary for Jake Paul.
YouTube/Jake Paul
“Two, there are no tickets for sale. If you bought tickets those are tickets that don’t exist.
“Three, over 85,000 people have signed up to get access to tickets when they go on sale. This is going to be a historic event.”
The Problem Child has a record of 9-1, with 6 KOs, while Iron Mike is at 50-6, with 44 KOs.
“I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul,” Tyson said.
“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.
“Now I plan to finish him.”