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Mike Tyson To Fight Jake Paul

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will fight social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul on July 20.

The fight will take place in Texas and broadcast live on streaming platform Netflix.

It is unclear if it will be an official fight or an exhibition bout. Tyson’s last exhibition bout was in 2020 and he will fight Paul three weeks after turning 58.

The 27-year-old Paul beat Ryan Bourland in his 10th professional fight last Saturday.

Paul said on X: “My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of the world, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. Time to put Iron Mike to sleep.”

Paul has won nine of his 10 fights, with the only defeat coming against British heavyweight Tommy Fury in February 2023. He will be competing against Tyson as a heavyweight.

Tyson, who hasn’t fought professionally since 2005, said in a news release that he was relishing the 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.

“It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”

The bout will represent Netflix’s latest foray into live sports after recently streaming the Netflix Slam, a match between Spanish tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

/Stewart
Sports news editor