Mike Tyson will return to the boxing ring at the age of 58. The former world heavyweight champion Mr. Mike Tyson, whose career was tainted by problems both inside and outside the ring, will face boxer-turned-social media personality Jake Paul on July 20 in a live streamed bout on Netflix, the streaming service revealed on Thursday.
The battle, which takes place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will be Mr. Tyson’s first since an exhibition contest in 2020 ended in a draw between him and Roy Jones Jr., another former world boxing champion.
With the potential to attract big viewers without requiring the type of financial commitment that streaming games from major sports organizations do, the event will represent another step in Netflix’s aggressive drive into live “sports-adjacent programming.” The firm has signed a multibillion-dollar, ten-year deal to have the exclusive right to stream “Raw,” the premier weekly wrestling program of World Wrestling Entertainment.
The cooperation between Netflix and Mr. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, which he founded in 2021 with Nakisa Bidarian to disrupt combat sports, allowed for the creation of the boxing extravaganza specifically designed for streaming.
For the battle, he and Mr. Mike Tyson will receive about equal compensation, though the parties would not disclose how much. Mr. Paul, 27, began boxing in 2018 and has seen his star rise on his way to a 9-1 record. His last fight was on Saturday night, when he stopped Ryan Bourland in the first round.
In a statement, Mr. Paul stated, “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 going up against Tyson to see if I have what it takes to defeat one of the biggest icons and most infamous fighters in boxing.”
Mr. Mike Tyson, who will age 58 in June, was a sensation from the moment he began his career in 1985. At the age of twenty-nine, he had already won 37 professional bouts, almost all of them by knockout. The upset of James (Buster) Douglas in his professional debut game is still regarded as one of the most surprising in sports history.
He later faced legal troubles, serving three years in prison for rape. In the ring, his reputation was marred by erratic behavior, like biting one of Evander Holyfield’s ears during a 1997 bout. Lately, Mr. Mike Tyson, who has spoken of a past addiction to cocaine, has been spending more time on his fledgling marijuana business than on his boxing career. He sells a variety of products, including gummies shaped to look like Mr. Holyfield’s ear.
Netflix’s first foray into a live sports-related event was an exhibition golf match in November that involved athletes from its “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” series and golfers featured on its series “Full Swing.” Last weekend, it streamed an exhibition tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Mr. Paul is also known to the company.
One of its “Untold” documentaries from the previous year focused on his journey from YouTube sensation to professional boxer. “Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child,” an episode, ranked among the top 10 on Netflix in 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, for one week.
Logan, the elder brother of Mr. Paul, faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a pay-per-view match that Showtime offered for $49.99 in 2021. There was no winner after eight rounds of action. FOR MORE TRENDING NEWS CLICK..
