Terms for Mike Tyson's fight with Jake Paul include heavier gloves, shorter rounds


At a glance

  • Mike Tyson's fight against Jake Paul in Texas this summer has been sanctioned as a competitive boxing match rather than an exhibition, and the rounds will be shorter and the gloves will be heavier.


AUSTIN (AP) — Mike Tyson's fight against Jake Paul in Texas this summer has been sanctioned as a competitive boxing match rather than an exhibition, and the rounds will be shorter and the gloves will be heavier.

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Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson (AP/File photo)

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation this week approved terms for the July 20 fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Netflix will provide live coverage of the bout between the 27-year-old Paul, a social media star-turned-boxer, and 57-year-old Tyson, who hasn't fought since an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020.

A Department of licensing and Regulation spokesperson said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, April 30, that "this will be a professional bout with a referee and judges and the results will count as part of the fighters' professional records. So — it's an actual competitive fight."

The fight is scheduled for eight two-minute rounds; most men's pro fights have three-minute rounds. The boxer's gloves will weigh 14 ounces instead of the standard pro weight of 10 ounces; heavier gloves reduce the power of punches.

In approving terms for fights, the department's combative sports staff considers, among other factors, each contestant's age, medical tests, win-loss record and losses by knockout or technical knockout.

Paul built a significant fan following as a YouTube influencer before he embarked on a professional boxing career four years ago. He has won nine of 10 fights with six knockouts against mostly undistinguished opponents, including several mixed martial artists and a fellow YouTuber.

Tyson was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987-90. He retired in 2005 after winning 50 fights, 44 by knockout.