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Former world champion Mike Tyson says his boxing match against YouTuber Jake Paul on 20 July will be an exhibition bout and not an official fight. <\/b><\/p>\n
Tyson, whose professional career ended in 2005, will turn 58 three weeks before facing Paul in Texas. <\/p>\n
Paul, 27, beat Ryan Bourland in his 10th professional fight last month. <\/p>\n
“This is called an exhibition, but if you look up ‘exhibition’ you will not see any of the rules will be fighting under. This is a fight,” Tyson said.<\/p>\n
The contest – which will not count to their professional records if it is an exhibition – will broadcast live on streaming platform Netflix. <\/p>\n
It will take place at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, which has a seating capacity of 80,000.<\/p>\n
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the body that approve boxing events in the state, told BBC Sport that while a request to hold an event on the day by the promoter had been received; no proposed fights or further details were given. <\/p>\n
“Under TDLR rules, in an exhibition fight the combatants wear bigger gloves (16oz), have two-minute rounds and fight in fewer rounds than a sanctioned professional bout,” the TDLR said. <\/p>\n
“In an exhibition, there is a referee but no judges and no winner is declared.” <\/p>\n
Tyson had his most recent exhibition bout in April 2020 against Roy Jones Jr, which ended in a draw<\/a>.<\/p>\n Paul has won nine of his 10 boxing fights, mostly against ex UFC fighters, with his solitary defeat coming to Briton Tommy Fury in February 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n Speaking to Fox Sports, Tyson said Paul – who rose to fame by posting videos online – has come “a long way from YouTubing”.<\/p>\n “I saw a YouTube of him at 16 doing weird dances. That’s not the guy I’m gonna be fighting,” Tyson said. <\/p>\n “This guy is gonna come, he’s gonna try to hurt me, which I’m accustomed to, and he’s gonna be greatly mistaken.”<\/p>\n Tyson become the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20, when he beat Trevor Berbick in his first title fight in November 1986.<\/p>\n The American finished his career with 50 wins and six defeats. <\/p>\n Outside of boxing, he served three years of a six-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape in 1992, and in 1999 he served a third of a 12-month sentence, external<\/span><\/a> for a road rage assault.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n