Why Jake Paul Is Fighting Mike Tyson

Netlfix is poised to make a global impact by streaming Paul vs. Tyson, a professional, sanctioned fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson that has an interesting backstory regarding how the fight came together. The fight between the YouTube star-turned professional boxer and one of boxing’s all-time greats will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in front of a crowd of more than 60,000, and will be streamed on Netflix to subscribers around the world. The bout will represent a true test of youth vs. experience between the 27-year-old Paul and the 58-year-old Tyson.

Despite the massive age gap, Paul vs. Tyson is in fact a professional fight, and has been formally sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. There have been several deviations from the standard set of sanctioned rules to accommodate the older Tyson and the more inexperienced Paul, including heavier gloves and shorter/fewer rounds. None of those factors have done anything to quell the hype around the fight, which should be one of the most-watched boxing events of the last few years. How the fight came to be is just as interesting as the outcome.

Jake Paul Made A Deal With Netflix For A Live Boxing Event Before Mike Tyson Became Involved

The Event Was Set Up Via Paul’s Company, Most Valuable Promotions

Jake Paul and his boxing promotion company, Most Valuable Promotions, closed a deal with Netflix in November 2023 to stream the platform’s first live professional sporting event, which made good business sense for the globally-recognizable Paul and the massively popular streaming platform. That deal came together before Tyson was ever formally involved in the fight, per ESPN. Paul, as an up-and-coming boxer and international superstar, made the deal without a specific opponent in mind, although Tyson’s name was mentioned as a potential option.

However, Paul actually envisioned Tyson as his opponent on a global scale more than two years ago, per AP News. Paul reportedly shared the idea with Tyson, believing that he would also see the potential, and from there the fight became a reality. Netflix, of course, was on board with the idea given that Tyson is one of the most recognizable people on Earth. His superstardom, especially after such a long hiatus from professional fighting, made the event a near-guaranteed success, and was viewed as a great value add for existing subscribers as well as an impetus for new subscribers.

Why Jake Paul Wanted To Fight Mike Tyson (& Why Tyson Agreed)

Paul Was Interested In Tyson’s Prestige, While Tyson Is In It Seemingly For Love Of The Game

Outside of the obvious moneymaking potential of a fight between two global superstars, Paul and Tyson each have their own motivations for taking the fight, which several people in the combat sports industry have viewed as a mismatch and disrespectful to the sport of boxing. Paul is interested in the sheer spectacle and personal prestige of Tyson, even at his advanced age. Per AP News:

He’s the one that wanted it to be a pro fight and me, as a young person in this sport, is not going to (pass) up the opportunity to fight the GOAT of boxing. It’s like Ja Morant turning down a 1-v-1 against LeBron. It’s not going to happen.

Tyson has had a checkered past that has famously included mountains of debt, so the assumption by many is that money is the motivating factor for his participation in the fight. However, Tyson has insisted that the $20 million payday he’ll receive isn’t his main reason for fighting:

“That old Mike Tyson … he doesn’t have no more purpose in my life. He just doesn’t exist…“I’m having a good time in my life. I don’t have much time left, so I’m having the best time of my life.”

Regardless of their motivations, Paul vs. Tyson is poised to be one of the premier live-streaming events of the decade. The global popularity and recognition of both fighters, along with the sheer number of Netflix subscribers, all but guarantee that it’s one of the most-watched fights of all time.

Source: ESPN, AP News