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The highly anticipated Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight on July 20, which was set to kick off Netflix's entry into live sports, has been postponed. Once heralded as “the most watched boxing event in decades” by Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the future of the Tyson-Paul fight is now in limbo.
Tyson was deemed medically unfit to fight after suffering an ulcer flare-up during a flight, causing the postponement and casting serious doubt on whether the highly anticipated clash will ever happen.
Rescheduling Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul
Mannix joined The Rich Eisen Show on Monday to discuss the possibility of rescheduling the fight. “Now, officially, they are saying they’re going to reschedule this fight,” Mannix said.
According to Mannix, there's a planned reschedule for the Tyson-Paul fight in the fall, but there's “some concern” about whether it will actually happen. This uncertainty has left other fighters on the undercard scrambling for opportunities elsewhere, essentially searching for “lifeboats,” as Mannix puts it.
“I have been told that two dates are being explored in Arlington, Texas. I think there’s a mid-October date that is available to them, and maybe even a mid-November date, as well. This is something that the Cowboys’ Stadium folks have conveyed to Jake Paul’s team,” Mannix said.
“There is genuine concern from people that are also on the card — I mean, there are another number of fights that are also on the card — about this specific card moving forward,” Mannix added.
Tyson vs. Paul fight card
The undercard will feature a highly anticipated rematch as Katie Taylor defends her undisputed super lightweight titles against Amanda Serrano. Taylor previously retained her undisputed lightweight titles with a split decision victory in April 2022 at Madison Square Garden. The upcoming fight comes after Taylor's victory over Chantelle Cameron in November to claim the titles in a different weight class.
Additionally, former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will make his return on this card against former UFC title challenger Darren Till in the cruiserweight division. 38-year-old Chavez Jr, last fought in December 2021, rebounding from a loss to former UFC champion Anderson Silva with a victory over David Zegarra.
Till, who lost four of his final five fights in UFC, last fought in December 2022 after suffering a submission loss to Dricus Du Plessis. Another fight announced for the card is a lightweight showdown between top prospects Floyd Schofield and Ashton Sylve.
“Again, Mike Tyson is 57 years old; he’s almost 58 years old,” emphasized Mannix. “They’re saying it’s a minor ulcer issue, but I don’t think anything’s minor at that stage of your life, especially when it comes to putting yourself in the proper shape to fight a professional boxing match.”
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Mike Tyson's potential replacement
Roy Jones Jr., who previously went eight rounds against fellow boxing legend Tyson in an exhibition four years ago, has expressed his willingness to step in for “Iron Mike” after Tyson's health issue. “I’m kind of thinking about that. I might try and get into shape in case that happens. Maybe I get myself in shape for that,” Jones said in a Betway interview.
After stepping away from boxing six years ago, Jones returned for a single fight against former UFC champion Anthony Pettis last September, resulting in a loss by points. He confirmed rumors of being linked to a match against Paul's previous rival Tommy Fury and talked about the possibility of facing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
For what it's worth, Mannix revealed his experience so far being with Tyson’s team in New York sharing, “And believe me, I was following him around for a few days in New York, and every time I tried to get some time with him, I would get messages from his team that would say, ‘Oh, he’s in intensive training mode right now.’
“If you believe his team, he was training about 16 hours a day for this fight against Jake Paul. And when you’re putting your body through stuff like that, things are gonna happen.”
In an Instagram video, Jake Paul shared his disappointment regarding the news of Tyson's health issues. Paul, known for his confident demeanor, surprisingly showed respect for Tyson, emphasizing that Tyson's health takes precedence over the fight.
Despite calling the news “devastating,” Paul remained firm in his belief that the fight will eventually take place. “This might have delayed things,” Paul commented. “But in the end, you will still be knocked out.”
