Los Angeles (AFP) – Mike Tyson’s return to the ring against YouTube sensation Jake Paul has been rescheduled for November 15 after being postponed from July following health issues of former heavyweight champion Tyson.
Promoters announced on Friday that the bout, which had been planned for July 20, will still be contested at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas — home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Paul announced the new date in a posting on X, formerly Twitter, with the message: “New date, same place, same fate.”
Tyson, who turns 58 on June 30, required medical treatment on a flight last month from Miami to Los Angeles after complaining of nausea and dizziness.
Organizers said Tyson suffered an “ulcer flare up” and doctors recommended reduced training for several weeks, mandating the postponement.
“Although we had to postpone the fight, I will resume training shortly,” Tyson said. “I’m thankful to the medical staff that treated me and to MVP, Netflix, and AT&T Stadium for working diligently to find the best reschedule date for all parties.”
While we have a new date, the result will be the same no matter when we fight. Jake Paul is getting knocked out.”
The fight still will be televised by streaming service powerhouse Netflix.
The new fight date is on a Friday, which will allow time for the stadium to be reconfigured ahead of the Cowboys playing host to the Houston Texans in a Monday night NFL game on November 18.
Paul, 27, will face Tyson over eight two-minute rounds in a professional fight sanctioned by Texas boxing officials. Tyson’s last prior pro fight was in 2005.
Other fighters, including former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, expressed concerns Tyson might be seriously hurt in the bout but Tyson last month said the decision for a ring return against Paul was a “no-brainer.”
Tyson dominated the heavyweight division in the 1980s and 1990s, earning the tag as the “baddest man on the planet” in his prime.
© 2024 AFP
