Fight fans around the world are in for a barnburner tonight, as Mike Tyson takes on Jake Paul.
Iron Mike hasn’t had a professional bout since his 2005 loss to Kevin McBride, having already accomplished the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles long before and faced titans like Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Frank Bruno. While the 58-year-old returned four years ago for a ‘Lockdown Knockdown’ exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr, fans were far from impressed by the showing which ended in a draw after eight rounds, especially because of its ban on knockouts.
His current record is 50-6-2 (NC) with 44 knockouts, but that could all change when he faces YouTube star Paul come the early hours of Saturday morning. Known as ‘The Problem Child’, Paul has racked up a respectable 10-1 record over the past four years, besting UFC stalwarts like Nate Diaz, Ben Askren and Anderson Silva.
His only loss came at the hands of Tommy Fury last February, when he was out-favoured by a controversial split-decision. Unlike his opponent, Paul has been incredibly active in the squared-circle this year. He bested Ryan Bourland via a first-round KO in March, before making light work of bare knuckle boxer Mike Perry in July, stopping the star in the sixth via TKO.
And many fight fans have questioned if Tyson stands a chance when the two meet at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, given that Paul is 31 years younger than him and appears to be far fitter in terms of cardio. However, Iron Mike has been sharing training footage on social media which shows some of the raw power and speedy footwork from his prime, suggesting that Paul may be the one who’s in trouble when the pair come to blows.
With an action-packed main event and an undercard which boasts three title fights, here’s everything you need to know about the exciting night of fighting ahead.
What time does Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul start in the UK?
Billed as taking place on Friday, November 15, fight fans in the UK won’t actually see Tyson and Paul go head-to-head until the early hours of Saturday morning due to the time difference. The main card is scheduled to start at 7pm CST in Texas come Friday evening, which translates to 1am in the UK.
The two men are expected to make their ring walks at the 80,000 capacity AT&T Stadium at 4am in the morning in the UK, or 10pm in Texas. However, viewers are advised that the main event of the evening could come earlier or later than planned, depending on how long the undercard takes to unfold.
How to watch the action
UK residents who haven’t the time, money or inclination to make it to the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to see the action unfold before their eyes need should fear not. The whole event will be streamed live and direct exclusively on Netflix in a first-of-its-kind occurrence.
Those who are subscribed to Netflix won’t have to pay a penny extra to watch the event, and those who don’t want to miss it can still sign up for as little as £4.99 per month with adverts – a fraction of what your traditional PPV would cost.
Full fight card
- Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson at heavyweight
- Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano for Taylor’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO women’s super-lightweight titles
- Mario Barrios vs Abel Ramos for Barrios’s WBC welterweight title
- Neeraj Goyat vs Whindersson Nunes at super-middleweight
- Shadasia Green vs Melinda Watpool for the vacant women’s WBO super-middleweight title
- Lucas Bahdi vs Armando Casamonica at super-lightweight
- Bruce Carrington vs Dana Coolwell at featherweight
Quotes corner
Jake Paul: “I fear no man so I want him to be that old, savage Mike. He says he’s gonna kill me. Is that what you’re gonna do Mike? Because I’m ready. I want that killer, I want the hardest match possible Friday night and I want there to be no excuses from everyone at home when I knock him out. So is that what you’re gonna bring? Homicide?”
Mike Tyson: “I’m just ready. That’s all I can say; I’m just ready.”