Here's why Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight still faces cancellation threat

In just a few days, boxing legend Mike Tyson will celebrate his return to the ring. The 58-year-old former world champion met social media phenomenon Jake Paul in an official professional boxing match. What do you want to know.

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When does the battle take place?

The event will be held on Friday, November 15th in Arlington, Texas. The match is scheduled to start at 2am Swiss time on Saturday. Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are not expected to be in the ring until 4 a.m. at the earliest. Depending on the length of the preliminaries, the boxing legend and his opponent may have to wait until 5 a.m. or longer to arrive.

In addition to the main fight between Tyson and Paul, six other showdowns are planned to take place at the stadium of the NFL team the Dallas Cowboys in front of up to 80,000 spectators. Among other things, undisputed lightweight world champion Katie Taylor defended her five belts against Amanda Serrano today against two of the biggest stars in women's boxing.

Multiple-time super featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano is now looking to wrest that title from Katie Taylor.Picture: www.imago-images.de

Tyson and Paul were originally scheduled to have a boxing match in July, but the fight had to be postponed after Tyson felt weak on a plane and suffered from a stomach ulcer.

How can I watch this?

The entire event will be streamed live on Netflix. Anyone who subscribes to the platform can watch for free. It was the first boxing match to be broadcast live on a streaming platform, which is actually better known for TV series and movies. Netflix has become a broadcaster for sporting events, including an exhibition match between tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul now joins the list.

This makes it possible to wake up and watch the action happening on Saturday night in comfort, rather than setting an alarm in the evening and then getting annoyed because Tyson and Paul took so long to arrive.

Who are the two opponents?

Not much needs to be said about Mike Tyson. The 58-year-old boxer is a multiple-time world heavyweight champion and is known for the power of his punches. In 44 of his 50 wins, he knocked his opponent to the ground and ended the fight early. He has been a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame since 2011. Tyson was considered a bad boy throughout his career, which he highlighted when he bit off part of opponent Evander Holyfield's ear during their world title fight in June 1997. After his career ended, Tyson struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction.

However, his counterpart, Jake Paul, became famous outside of sports. The 27-year-old American has become famous through the YouTube channel he shares with brother Logan, but has also sparked a lot of controversy. In 2018, he entered the ring for the first time in an exhibition match and made his professional debut two years later. Paul has been very successful so far against former athletes or MMA fighters. His only defeat came against Tommy Fury, the only professional boxer among his previous opponents.

Picture: www.imago-images.de

How much money do Tyson and Paul make?

There is no official data on combat exchanges yet. What is clear, however, is that a large portion of the money found its way into the coffers of Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. The total cost is reported to be US$80 million (approximately 70.5 million francs), which will be divided equally. “I'm here to raise $40 million and beat a legend,” Paul said in August.

However, there is also speculation that Tyson “only” received $20 million (approximately 17.6 million Swiss francs), roughly half of what Paul received. But the New Yorker explains that it has nothing to do with his money. “The money from the fight won't change my life. “I'm just doing it because I want to test myself,” Tyson said.

Can you still take fighting seriously?

Oh well. A meeting between Tyson and Paul would at least be considered an official professional fight and would be included in both their records. “Iron Mike” has a 50-6 record to date, with “El Gallo de Dorado” (German: “The Golden Gockel”) winning 10 of his 11 games. This game is considered Tyson's return to professional sports after 19 years – unlike the game against Roy Jones Jr. in July 2020, that game was just an exhibition match and ended in a draw.

Still, combat at the highest level is certainly not to be expected. Even though Mike Tyson grandly declared in a previously released Netflix documentary: “If I win, I will be immortal.” Ultimately, the event is mainly a show and may have little to do with professional sports. Special rules also indicate this.

As a result, former boxer Axel Schulz told the German news agency: “It can only be described as an exhibition match.” The 56-year-old even believed it was an “agreed figure.” Tyson “won’t break up Jake Paul, even though he could.” In this case, people will be reminded of the 2021 showdown between undefeated Floyd Mayweather and Jake Paul’s brother Logan, when Mayweather Se barely missed his opponent. However, bookmakers believe Jake Paul, 31 years his junior, is the favorite to win.

What special rules apply?

Unlike a regular professional boxing match, a boxing match lasts only eight rounds instead of twelve, and each round lasts two minutes instead of three. This means matches last a maximum of 16 minutes, less than half the usual 36 minutes. Boxing matches also require the wearing of so-called sparring gloves. At 14 ounces (397 grams), these gloves are heavier than standard racing gloves (10 ounces, 283 grams), ensuring lower impact velocities.

No serious career struggles are expected.Image: trapezoid

How is Mike Tyson's health?

One reason for the special rule may be to protect both opponents. Mike Tyson's health seems to be particularly at risk – just a few months ago he suffered a bout of weakness and battled a stomach ulcer. His health remained a mystery days before the game.

If you believe what he says on social media, Tyson is in great shape. “Iron Mike” is still well-trained, with fast and powerful punches and smooth movements. As with his 2020 exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr., he will be trained by Rafael Cordeiro, who has previously trained multiple mixed martial arts (MMA) champions.

However, there are also skeptical voices who claim that Tyson is simply not ready for such a fight. Former MMA fighter Chael Sonnen believes Tyson didn't train properly. “If he doesn't have a coach or training partner who talks openly about training with him, something is wrong,” Sonnen explained recently. The 47-year-old doubted whether Tyson was preparing for the fight with the necessary intensity.

How big a risk is Tyson?

Leading doctor Stephen Hughes also sounded the alarm ahead of the scheduled match date. At the time, a senior lecturer in medicine at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge said Tyson was risking his life. There is a risk of cerebral hemorrhage. “Boxers can recover from knockdowns relatively quickly, but in some cases the consequences can be devastating. There is a risk of developing a subdural hematoma,” explains Hughes.

This can cause the connecting veins between the brain and meningeal blood vessels to rupture. This can cause blood to pool and compress the brain, leading to confusion, unconsciousness, and even death. Older people are at increased risk, and Tyson admitted a few years ago that the same is true for alcohol abuse. His years of cocaine addiction also increased his risk for cardiovascular disease. From a medical perspective, Tyson took a huge risk.

Tyson's last fight as world champion was against Evander Holyfield in November 1996, but the rematch was canceled after Tyson bit off part of his opponent's ear.Image source: Associated Press

Why is there a risk of cancellation?

Because Tyson's health is uncertain. Apparently, he therefore had to undergo a final medical check 24 hours before the game. If the 58-year-old doesn't meet the criteria, the tournament could be canceled at short notice, or at least downgraded to an exhibition match.