Netflix has announced an upcoming match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul that will see them do battle at the AT&T Stadium and will air live on the popular streaming platform.
The match has sparked an outcry of concerns from fans over the former World Heavyweight Champion’s health and age.
Tyson notably has a nerve condition that prevents his body from functioning at an optimal level at all times, so it remains to be seen how this fight will go down.
Mike Tyson And Jake Paul Are Set To Fight
MEGAIn a recent tweet making the rounds on X (formerly Twitter), Netflix announced the surprise duel between the 57-year-old boxing legend and the 27-year-old cruiserweight boxer. The match is set to take place on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Texas and will be available for live stream to all Netflix subscribers as the platform continues to test its weight in the world of live sports.
According to Variety, this isn’t the first time Tyson and Paul have appeared on a boxing card together. In 2020, Paul fought in the co-main event that saw Tyson fight Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match.
The event was Tyson’s first boxing match in over 14 years at the time and Paul’s second professional boxing match, where he defeated former NBA player Nate Robinson via knockout in the second round.
Speaking ahead of the match, the boxing legend said he was “very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul.”
He continued, “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.”
Jake Paul Vows To Put Mike Tyson ‘To Sleep’
MEGATyson also noted in his statement: “It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones, and now I plan to finish him.”
Speaking big ahead of the match, Paul is seemingly not taking things lightly with the boxing great as he vowed to put Tyson “to sleep.”
“Whether you’re team Paul or team Tyson, or whether you’re a lifelong boxing fan or watching your first fight, you’re not going to want to miss this event,” Paul said.
He added, “I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion of the world, the baddest man on the planet, and the most dangerous boxer of all time. Time to put Iron Mike to sleep.”
Paul was in action last week as he knocked out unknown boxer Ryan Bourland in his 10th professional fight.
Fans Worried About The Boxing Legend’s Health & Age
MEGASeveral fans took to social media to express their skepticism over the duo’s age difference and Tyson’s health. Others believe that the fight is “fake” and “staged.”
“It will be a race against time to get Tyson fully fit for Paul. [The] dude’s health wouldn’t allow him to fight well, as he has a condition called sciatica… I think he’s in this for the money! Go get your bag champ,” a fan wrote of Tyson.
“I said it once, and I will say it again,” another fan began. “Jake Paul claiming to be a boxer while preying on retired combat sports athletes who have sustained a career’s worth of injuries is one of the most utterly pathetic displays of cowardice I have ever seen in my entire life.”
A third person raised questions over Tyson’s age, writing, “Mike Tyson is 57 years old. Stop encouraging this clown. You’re a joke @jakepaul!”
Another fan called on the boxing great to “just retire,” while others allege that the fight is “fake.”
Mike Tyson Suffers From A Crippling Condition
MEGAIt remains to be seen how the former heavyweight boxing champion hopes to pull this off as he notably struggles with sciatica, a painful nerve condition that typically originates in the lower back and extends down the leg.
The condition reportedly caused him so much pain at some point that he had to use a wheelchair and a cane to walk. He has previously admitted that he mostly can’t talk when his condition flares up, per Essentially Sport.
Iron Mike, as he is fondly called by fans, also has a love for cannabis, and it extends beyond just smoking to even running a business that deals in cannabis products, sparking outcry from fans last year when he shared a photo of himself smoking cannabis on Instagram.
At the time, fans begged him to “quit smoking” and take care of his health.
