Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul sanctioned as pro bout

Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul is one for the record books.

MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck confirmed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation that the upcoming July 20 boxing match between Tyson and Paul has been sanctioned as a professional bout with the result counting on their records. The fight takes place at ATandamp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The news was first reported by ESPN.

Tyson (50-6, 2 NC) competes in his 59th pro bout, while Paul (9-1) competes professionally for the 10th time.

Paul, a social media influencer and YouTube star, has said from the beginning that his bout with the 57-year-old Tyson would be a sanctioned contest. On Monday, he posted to Instagram to confirm the news.

“I wasn’t joking when I said this would be a real fight,” Paul wrote. “See you in July.”

The bout takes place over the course of eight two-minute rounds, with the competitors wearing 14-ounce gloves.

Tyson, for his part, appears to be taking his training as seriously for the bout, having released several videos showing off his preparation for what will be his first pro fight since June 2005. He has competed in a pair of exhibition bouts since his retirement, most recently battling fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. to a split draw in November 2020.

In his prime, Tyson was the most feared knockout artist of his generation. “Iron Mike” recorded 44 career knockouts and held multiple heavyweight titles from 1986 to 1996.

Paul is currently on a three-fight win streak following his lone loss to Tommy Fury. He holds notable wins over former UFC stars Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley.

In the July 20 co-main event, Amanda Serrano fights Katie Taylor in a rematch of their epic April 2022 encounter that Taylor won by split decision. This time, Taylor’s undisputed super lightweight title is on the line.

Paul vs. Tyson tickets are set to go on sale May 16. The event airs live on Netflix.