The much-anticipated match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson which was due to be hosted in Texas has been deferred following health concerns raised for Tyson, the erstwhile global heavyweight champion. Clarity is yet to be provided on the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano fight, which was scheduled to take place the same evening, since it was not referred to in the organisers’ official statement.
The contest between Tyson, 57, and Jake Paul, the YouTuber-cum-boxer, was slated for July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Nonetheless, due to Tyson’s recent diagnosis of an ulcer flare-up, the fight is being delayed. Tyson apparently felt unwell whilst on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles the previous week and required professional medical attention.
The date for the rescheduled fight, at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, is set to be confirmed on June 7. Tyson reflected on the postponement, stating that because of an ulcer flare-up, his doctor recommended that he reduce training for a period of a few weeks to heal and recoup. Tyson asserted that his health has not been as good since the 1990s, and that he would be back on his full training schedule soon.
It remains a mystery whether Katie Taylor’s face-off with Amanda Serrano, the light-welterweight champion, also planned for the same evening, will be postponed, as Most Valuable Promotions, the company co-organising the event with Netflix, hasn’t commented on the matter.
MVP recommended that Tyson limit his training over the following weeks before resuming full-scale training without constraints. Tyson and Paul mutually agree that both athletes should have equal time to prepare for this significant fight and to compete at their peak. MVP underscored that the welfare of the athletes is its priority, and fully backed Tyson’s decision to take the necessary time off for his well-being.
Tyson, who ceased his professional career in 2005 and hasn’t competed since an exhibition match four years ago, will be 58 by the time of the rescheduled match with Paul, who is three decades younger. Paul boasts of nine wins out of 10 fights, most of them with ex-UFC fighters, with his only defeat credited to Tommy Fury.