Watch The Fight of the Century: Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul

In what’s being billed as the fight of the decade, Mike Tyson, one of the greatest boxers of all time, is preparing to step into the ring against Jake Paul. It’s been roughly 20 years since Mike Tyson’s last fight, and even longer than that since the former heavyweight champion was at his peak.

While many of today’s boxing fans only know Tyson through stories about his powerful right hook, there has also been plenty of controversy surrounding Tyson over the years, both in the ring and out of it.

In the early 1990s, Mike Tyson was convicted of rape and spent roughly three years in prison. After his release, he returned to the ring to continue his career. It was after that return that Tyson had one of his most infamous in-ring moments when he bit a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear off during a fight.

Tyson’s opponent, Jake Paul is no stranger to controversies himself. Paul became a household name as a YouTube sensation. With a nickname like “The Problem Child,” it’s no surprise that controversy has followed Paul throughout most of his life in the limelight. At one point, Paul’s antics got him kicked off the Disney Channel, but his YouTube channel still has more than 20 million subscribers.

Many of the controversies surrounding Paul involve alleged scams. Using his online fame as a platform, Paul has allegedly sold everything from classes on how to become successful online to digital “mystery boxes” that users say they never received.

In July 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul found himself once again in the middle of a controversy after he hosted a huge party at his house despite the ongoing stay-at-home orders that California had put in place.

Both of the men who are to be involved in this match have been at the center of countless controversies over the years, so it’s no surprise to see them involved in something as massive as this fight.

We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about the “fight of the decade,” including how you can watch it, when it is, and what boxing experts are expecting.

The Tale of the Tape

Mike Tyson, 58, comes into this fight 20 years away from his last boxing match. Conversely, Jake Paul is only 27 years old, and though he received a lot of backlash for wanting to move into the world of boxing, the YouTuber has put together an impressive 10-1 record. Some experts aren’t sure how realistic it is to expect Tyson to compete based solely on age.

Yes, Mike Tyson is more than twice as old as Jake Paul. Yes, Mike Tyson was older than Jake Paul is now when he fought his last match.

Purists, especially those who covered Mike Tyson in his prime, hate the idea of this fight. They claim Tyson is too old and too far removed from his last match. However, there’s no denying what he was at his peak. Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. When he retired some 20 years ago, he was 50-6 with a staggering 44 knockouts.

In the other corner, Jake Paul has gone from boxing fellow YouTubers and retired UFC fighters to stepping in the ring with boxers. Paul missed 47 Mike Tyson matches because he wasn’t even born when they took place.

A look at their in-match stats shows that Tyson, when he was still active, threw more punches per round than Paul and that he landed significantly more body blows each fight than Paul has in his brief career.

In addition to the age gap, Jake Paul also has the size advantage in this fight. He comes into the fight standing at 6’1” while Tyson is 5’10”. He also has a five-inch advantage when it comes to his reach, a stat that some experts believe may be the difference in this battle between boxing’s past and its future.

It’s interesting to note that the only blemish on Paul’s otherwise perfect record came in his lone fight against a trained boxer. Tommy Fury, the younger brother of boxing superstar Tyson Fury, handed Paul his only loss.

That has left some onlookers wondering if Paul has only been able to build his resume by facing opponents who have no history in the sport. With his only loss coming against the younger Fury, who is nowhere near the level of fighter that his brother is, there’s certainly some credence to that claim.

While Tyson’s age may prove to be his Achilles heel in this match, there’s no denying that the legend is likely the best pure boxer that Paul has ever faced. The most interesting part of this match will be how far into the past Tyson can reach to combat the bigger, younger Jake Paul.

When Is the Fight and How Can I Watch It?

The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight is coming up on Friday, November 15, 2024. The fight, which has already become an extravaganza thanks to all the attention it’s received, will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The bout has been sanctioned as an official boxing match by the Texas Licensing and Regulations Department.

Initially, the match was slated to take place on June 20, but Mike Tyson had to postpone it due to an ulcer. After being medically cleared to resume his training regimen, which Tyson’s camp has said is every bit as rigorous as it was when he was actively fighting.

While the bout has been officially sanctioned, there have been some modifications made to the structure of the match itself. There are eight rounds in this match, with each round lasting for two minutes. Instead of using the traditional 10-ounce gloves, each fighter will wear 14-ounce gloves.

It’s been widely speculated that both fighters wanted to use gloves with extra padding to decrease the likelihood of a knockout. Tyson would want to avoid a knockout to protect his legacy while Paul would also like to avoid being knocked out by a man nearly 30 years his senior to protect his reputation in the world of combat sports.

Unlike traditional boxing matches, this match will not take place on pay-per-view. In what could have likely netted millions of dollars in buys, this match will instead take place on Netflix, one of the most popular streaming platforms in the world.

The show is set to begin at 8 PM ET, with a six-match undercard that features three title bouts, including Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos for Barrios for Barrios’ World Welterweight Title. The ladies of boxing will also be represented in a pair of title matches, including the semi-main event which will feature Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano for Taylor's undisputed women's junior welterweight championship.

Don’t Miss the Action

Ultimately, no one knows what this match is going to look like. Will Tyson’s age and years away from the sport bite him, or will the vet be able to take advantage of Paul’s inexperience, especially against boxers? On the other side, will Paul be able to outlast Tyson thanks to youthful stamina and the size advantage?

Even if this fight doesn’t turn out to be a classic boxing match, which it probably won’t do, it’s sure to be one of the biggest spectacles that the sport has seen in years.