Jake Paul’s boxing match with Mike Tyson has been postponed after the latter suffered a health scare on a flight last week.
YouTube star Paul, 27, and heavyweight legend Tyson, 57, were due to box on 20 July at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The controversial bout was set to stream live on Netflix, in an unprecedented move.
However, the fight has now been postponed, with a new date to be announced on 7 June, after Tyson became unwell on Sunday (26 May) while flying from Miami to Los Angeles.
At the time, appeals were made to find passengers with medical experience to provide assistance. Paramedics then came on board after the plane landed, delaying passengers from disembarking for around 25 minutes.
Tyson later tweeted, “Now feeling 100% even though I don’t need to be to beat Jake Paul,” after his representatives told the New York Post that the American was “doing great”.
But a statement from Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions on Friday (31 May) read: “The recommendation is for Mike Tyson to do minimal to light training over the next few weeks and then return to full training with no limitations.
“Both Mike and Jake are in agreement that it is only fair to ensure that both athletes have equal training time to prepare for this important match and are able to compete at the highest level. The health and well-being of athletes is our top priority, and we fully support Mike in taking the necessary time to allow him to perform at the level he expects of himself.
“Mike is expected to return to his full training schedule in the coming weeks and is eager to get back in the ring. MVP anticipates rescheduling the match to later this year at AT&T Stadium, and we look forward to an exciting and well-prepared contest between these two exceptional athletes. The new date of the fight will be announced by next Friday, June 7th.”
Tyson last fought in 2020, boxing Roy Jones Jr to a draw in an exhibition match. His fight with Paul will be an officially-sanctioned professional bout – Tyson’s first since 2005, and Paul’s 11th overall.
American Paul, who is 9-1 as a pro, and Tyson will fight for eight two-minute rounds, unless there is a knockout. Initial reports falsely suggested that KOs would not be allowed in the fight.
Six of Paul’s nine wins have come via stoppage, while Tyson’s pro record stands at 50-6 (44 KOs).
Additional reporting by PA.