2 minutes The event, set to take place at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Texas, has sparked controversy, particularly due to the more than 30-year age gap between the social media influencer-turned-boxer Paul and boxing icon Tyson.
Details have emerged regarding the potential ruleset for the exhibition match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, should their July 20 encounter not be classified as a professional fight.
The event, set to take place at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Texas, has sparked controversy, particularly due to the more than 30-year age gap between the social media influencer-turned-boxer Paul and boxing icon Tyson. Critics have been vocal since the matchup was announced, questioning the pairing's legitimacy. Even Tyson Fury has commented on how he sees the right panning out.
While many aspects of the fight remain undecided, both Paul and Tyson are reportedly in favour of having it recognised as a professional contest. However, the final decision rests with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR), which could opt for the match to be an exhibition.
In such a case, Paul and Tyson would use 16-ounce gloves, a departure from the 10-ounce gloves typical of professional bouts, and compete in two-minute rounds with no official judging panel. These conditions, except for the glove size, were previously applied to Tyson's exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020, a card on which Paul also competed, knocking out former NBA player Nate Robinson.
Tela Mange, TDLR's Communications Manager, noted the lack of a submitted fight card for the July 20 event, explaining,:
“It’s pretty common for a promoter to request a date several months out but not immediately provide the proposed card. They want to be sure that they’ve secured the date with us, since we’ll have to make sure we have appropriate staffing available for any event. The promoter will need to submit proposed cards before we determine whether a particular contest would be considered as an exhibition or a professional fight, or how a proposed exhibition might be structured."
Mange also highlighted health and safety protocols, particularly for fighters over 36, stating:
"We can also request additional testing if we think it’s appropriate," and that such fighters must present "favourable results from an electroencephalogram (EEG) and an electrocardiogram (EKG)," important for assessing brain and heart health respectively.