5 thoughts about Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson - and it being on Netflix
Thursday's announcement for Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson came as a shock, but it's true: The YouTube star turned prizefighter will take on one of the greatest, most fearsome heavyweights in boxing history this summer.
Paul and Tyson are scheduled to meet in a boxing match on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. Paul is 27 years old, and Tyson will be 58 when the fight happens. It remains to be seen whether it'll be a professional bout or an exhibition.
In a fascinating twist, Netflix is getting into the combat sports business for the first time to broadcast the event. This will be the streaming giant's third live sporting event overall.
Here are some thoughts about the fight itself, Netflix entering the fold, and what it means for Paul's boxing career moving forward.
1. Paul-Tyson has "glorified sparring match" written all over it. Do you really think an almost 60-year-old Tyson is going to go out there and risk taking an embarrassing loss against an online celebrity born in 1997? Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, which is promoting the fight, has yet to announce whether the result will be going on Paul's and Tyson's records. But it would be surprising if the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which regulates combat sports in the state, sanctions a pro fight between Paul and Tyson. It would be just as surprising if Tyson were willing to sign up for that.
More than likely, this will be classified as an exhibition, similar to Tyson's 2020 fight against Roy Jones Jr. and the Floyd Mayweather-Logan Paul bout in 2021. Paul and Tyson will throw and land punches to entertain, but not with the intent to badly hurt each other. They'll put on enough of a show that fans leave satisfied. After all, that's what this is about: entertainment. This isn't a real sports competition. And that's OK.
2. The fight against Tyson represents another strategic shift for Paul's boxing career. Paul gained notoriety in the combat sports world by fighting fellow YouTubers and MMA fighters, such as Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley. Those were all big events with at least some level of mainstream appeal. In Paul's last two fights, however, he decided to change things up, instead fighting a couple of no-name journeymen to pad his record with the goal of one day earning a shot at a world title. Paul knocked out Andre August and Ryan Bourland with ease. But those fights weren't on pay-per-view and had a lot less buzz. The fight against August took place inside an Orlando resort hotel with a seating capacity of approximately 4,000.
Taking the traditional boxing route was an interesting experiment for Paul to try, and he may go back to that at some point. But at his core, he's a prizefighter - not an up-and-coming boxer destined to win world championships. He needs to lean into spectacle all the time; it's so much more lucrative. Fans don't care enough about Paul beating up outmatched Uber drivers who had laced up a pair of boxing gloves once in the last six years. They would rather watch Paul face off with stars like Tyson. Clearly, Paul has recognized this.
3. Both Paul and Tyson have a shot to win. Paul opened as the betting favorite at one sportsbook. But analyzing how this fight will play out will be a tough task for anyone (and, of course, it could largely come down to whether it's a pro fight or an exhibition). Paul has some key physical advantages, like being three decades younger than Tyson, being fairly strong, and perhaps having better cardiovascular endurance. But this is Tyson we're talking about. He performed well against Jones four years ago, and he still hits like a truck, according to training videos he's posted online.
Let's say for a second that Paul-Tyson is a pro fight in which both men take it 100% seriously (unlikely but not impossible). Paul could blitz Tyson with a barrage of punches and finish him quickly, proving that age matters. Or Tyson could catch Paul with one big shot and put him out, leaning on his boxing expertise and experience to beat the young gun. Nothing would be too surprising.
4. Paul-Tyson could be one of the most-watched boxing matches in history. We're four months away, and people who don't usually talk about combat sports are already talking about this fight. It has the kind of mainstream appeal that Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao and Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor had. Everyone knows who Tyson is. And when they find out he's fighting the YouTube kid who's knocked out a bunch of former UFC stars, they'll want to tune in - especially when they realize it's readily available on Netflix.
Netflix has around 260 million subscribers globally, so there's a genuine chance that more people will watch Paul-Tyson than any other fight in the 21st century.
5. Netflix dipping its toes in the world of live combat sports is a huge deal. The streaming company has hosted two live sporting events: a tennis match and a competition between Formula 1 drivers and golfers. Paul-Tyson will be the first boxing or MMA fight on the service. And if Netflix is taking a full-on approach with live sporting events, as it appears to be doing, it may not be the last.
Netflix has the potential to change the live sports landscape forever, as it's the most popular streaming company worldwide, wielding a ton of power. Netflix has a big WWE rights deal coming up in 2025 and may be interested in more exclusive deals. With Showtime recently departing the boxing business and the UFC set to negotiate a new rights deal in the near future, Netflix could emerge as a major player in combat sports and beyond.