The fight will take place at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and will be streamed live on Netflix.
Tyson said, ‘I’m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul. 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.’
Paul added on Instagram, ‘It’s time to put Iron Mike to sleep. 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.
‘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. This will be the fight of a lifetime.’
Promoter Eddie Hearn expressed his disapproval of the event, saying it could tarnish Tyson’s legacy.
‘For me, it’s really sad because Mike Tyson was one of my idols growing up, and to see him fighting at 57, 58… but I also understand that a lot of people are going to tune in and watch,’ Hearn told Mail Sport. ‘It’s an entertainment event, Netflix, great to see them involved in boxing. I think it will do really well. But it’s just not really one for me.’
‘I don’t think you should be fighting at 57 years old. But also the guy was one of the greatest ever fighters,’ Hearn continued. ‘Why do you want to go in at five percent of what you were and lose to a guy like Jake Paul? He shouldn’t have to do that, but the world is the world we live in.’