YouTube star Jake Paul faces boxing legend Mike Tyson July 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, marking Netflix’s first major boxing broadcast.
Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) returns at age 58, nearly two decades after his last professional fight. Known as “Iron Mike,” he became the youngest heavyweight champion at 20 by defeating Trevor Berbick in 1986. His early career featured devastating knockouts of Michael Spinks (91 seconds), Larry Holmes and Tony Tucker, while earning unified heavyweight titles.
The Brooklyn native’s career faced significant disruption after a 1992 rape conviction led to three years in prison. His 1996 comeback included losses to Evander Holyfield, including the infamous 1997 ear-biting incident that resulted in disqualification and temporary license revocation. Tyson’s final title shot ended in an eighth-round knockout loss to Lennox Lewis in 2002, with his last professional victory coming against Clifford Etienne in 2003.
Paul (10-1) emerged from social media stardom, building his boxing career after gaining fame on YouTube and Disney Channel. His professional debut in 2020 sparked debate about influencers entering combat sports, though decisive victories over former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley earned grudging respect from boxing traditionalists.
The 27-year-old’s only defeat came via split decision against Tommy Fury in 2023, followed by a unanimous decision win over MMA star Nate Diaz. Paul’s promotion company, Most Valuable Promotions, has reshaped boxing marketing while advocating for increased fighter pay and women’s boxing promotion.
Paul has stirred controversy by reportedly placing million-dollar side bets with fighters who predict his defeat. MMA journalist Ariel Helwani reports multiple fighters on the card favor Tyson to win.
The event also features Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano in a significant women’s matchup, while Mario Barrios defends his championship against Abel Ramos.
Netflix will stream the event starting at 8 p.m. ET, departing from traditional pay-per-view boxing distribution models.
The undercard includes:
Neeraj Goyat vs. Whindersson Nunes
Shadasia Green vs. Melinda Watpool
Lucas Bahdi vs. Armando Casamonica
Bruce Carrington vs. Dana Coolwell
The event represents boxing’s evolving landscape, as streaming platforms challenge traditional broadcast models while social media personalities enter professional competition.
