ARLINGTON, Texas — Editor's note: The video published above is an interview WFAA conducted with Jake Paul ahead of his boxing match against Nate Diaz in Dallas.
Mark your calendars: July 20, 2024.
Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who has captivated headlines in recent years for his boxing matches against athletes, martial artists and other celebrities, has added another marquee name to his resume: The “Baddest Man on the Planet,” Mike Tyson.
Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Paul's production company, jointly announced Thursday that Paul and Tyson would fight at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, this summer. Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) will take on Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) on Saturday, July 20 at the 80,000-seat capacity stadium in North Texas.
The fight will stream exclusively on Netflix, becoming the platform's third live sports event, following The Netflix Cup and The Netflix Slam.
This fight will mark Paul's second time boxing in North Texas, after he defeated UFC legend Nate Diaz in a 10-round bout at the American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, back in August 2023.
Paul has since fought in two more boxing matches: back-to-back knockouts of professional boxers and Golden Glove winners Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons,” Paul said. “Within just two and a half years of founding MVP, we’re about to produce the biggest fight in history, a fight in the biggest NFL stadium in the US, broadcast live, on the biggest streaming platform in the world – a testament to all we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time. Whether you’re tuning in on Netflix or showing out in person, 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. I could not be more excited to make this amazing fight available to all Netflix subscribers alongside the hardest hitter of all time, Mike Tyson, on Saturday, July 20th. My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. This will be the fight of a lifetime.”
Tyson, on the other hand, hasn't fought a sanctioned, professional boxing match since 2005, when he was then 38-years old. Now 57, arguably one of the most feared men in combat sports history will step into the ring with Paul.
“I'm very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas,” Tyson said. “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. It's a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”
Gabe Spitzer, Vice President, Nonfiction Sports at Netflix, said "Saturday, July 20 will be pure drama in the ring in Texas."
Additional information, including the co-main event and undercards, will be announced at a later date, officials said.
For the opportunity to sign up for presale tickets, click here.
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