OLD RUSTY ‘IRON’
Ex-champ Tyson will fight again
“Iron” Mike Tyson is returning to the ring to face celebrity boxing’s most polarizing star.
Tyson is going to square off against YouTuber-turned-boxing rabble-rouser Jake Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in an event that will air live on Netflix, the streaming giant announced Thursday morning.
The fight ostensibly will be an exhibition, though the specifics are unclear.
The legendary former heavyweight champion Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) will enter the ring against Internet personality and professional boxer Paul (9-1, 6 KOs).
The two pugilists have been well known for their flamboyant personalities and controversial antics — including face tattoos, a prison stint, pigeon breeding and attention-grabbing p.r. stunts.
Tyson, who will be 58 at the time of the fight, hasn’t had an official boxing match since June 11, 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride.
He did face Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout on Nov. 28, 2020, in Los Angeles on a card that featured Paul viciously knocking out former Knicks guard Nate Robinson in the second round.
“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,” Tyson said of Paul in a statement.
“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.”
The provocative Paul, 27, has drawn more attention to boxing in recent years as he has had a handful of fights against former MMA stars like Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley (twice) and Ben Askren.
When he first faced a pro boxer in Tommy Fury, the brother of Tyson Fury, Paul suffered his first loss.
“My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time,” Paul said in a statement. “This will be the fight of a lifetime.”
Although tickets aren’t currently available on Ticketmaster, prices start at $211 before fees on Vivid Seats at the time of publication.
Floor seats are a bit more expensive; as of now, they’re going for $5,145 before fees.
Paul is a -350 favorite at BetUS to defeat Tyson in their July match, a boost from his opening -300 odds compared to Tyson’s +225 odds.
The expectation is that not all of the legalized gambling states will offer odds for the fight, passing on doing so like they have done for previous Paul fights.