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Andreas Hale, ESPN
The boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson has a new date.
After the scheduled July 20 fight between the YouTuber-turned-prizefighter and the former heavyweight champion was postponed because of Tyson’s medical issues, the fight has been rescheduled for Nov. 15 at AT&T Stadium.
The highly anticipated rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for Taylor’s undisputed super lightweight championship will also move to Nov. 15 and serve as the co-main event.
“Our team has worked diligently with all parties involved to reschedule this monumental fight to a date that ensures both Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are fully prepared, with equal training time, as well as allowing us to keep the event at AT&T stadium in the midst of the Cowboys season,” Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement. “We appreciate the outstanding dedication, collaboration, and flexibility of our partners at Netflix and AT&T Stadium. Paul vs. Tyson is the most cross-generational sporting event in history, and we are committed to providing fans worldwide with this unforgettable night of boxing, live globally on Netflix. We look forward to seeing everyone on Friday, November 15 for a showdown that will be talked about for generations to come.”
Paul-Tyson’s new date will raise eyebrows with it falling on a Friday instead of a Saturday, which is commonplace for major boxing events. But with the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Houston Texans on Nov. 18 for “Monday Night Football,” a Friday fight would give the stadium time to set up for the Cowboys game.
The original July date was clear of the NFL season and faced little competition with the NBA Finals having concluded and college football still a month out. But Tyson had an ulcer flare-up on a May 26 flight from Miami to Los Angeles that required medical attention. Tyson was forced to postpone the fight after a health checkup when doctors required him to limit his training over the next few weeks until his condition improved.
“Although we had to postpone the fight, I will resume training shortly. I am thankful to the medical staff that treated me and to MVP, Netflix, and AT&T Stadium for working diligently to find the best reschedule date for all parties,” Tyson said in a statement. “While we have a new date, the result will be the same no matter when we fight. Jake Paul is getting knocked out.”
Tyson will celebrate his 58th birthday June 30. The age gap between Tyson and Paul when they step into the ring will be 31 years, the biggest in the history of professional boxing. It will also be over 19 years since the last time Tyson fought as a professional. Paul, 27, will fight for the first time since stopping journeyman Ryan Bourland in the first round in March.
The women in the highly anticipated co-feature will experience a long layoff. Serrano, 35, has not fought since successfully defending her WBA, WBO, IBF and The Ring women’s featherweight titles against Danila Ramos in October. Serrano was slated to fight Nina Meinke on Dec. 21 in Puerto Rico, but the fight was canceled because an eye injury rendered her “medically unfit” to compete.
Taylor, 37, last fought in November, when she bounced back from the first loss of her pro career by defeating Chantelle Cameron by majority decision to become the undisputed super lightweight champion.
There are no updates regarding whether MMA fighter Darren Till’s professional boxing debut against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. or the bout between rising lightweight prospects Ashton “H2O” Sylve and Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield will remain on the card.
Paul-Tyson will be streamed live on Netflix and sanctioned as a professional bout with the results affecting their pro records. The fight will be contested at heavyweight and is scheduled for eight two-minute rounds.
Previously purchased tickets will be honored for Nov. 15. Those unable to attend the rescheduled date are eligible for a refund at their original point of purchase until July 8.