Mike Tyson is hard at work preparing for his upcoming bout with Jake Paul.
The former heavyweight champ posted a video of himself shadowboxing with Shannon Briggs around a small crowd in Brooklyn.
Tyson is stepping back into the boxing ring for the first time since 2020 when he takes on Paul. This, of course, assumes that specific details for the fight can get ironed out.
USA Today’s Josh Peter noted the fight hasn’t technically been approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation at this point.
“The promoter has requested to have an event that day, but we have not received any proposed (fight) cards and thus have no details about what they are planning,” Tela Mange, Communications Director for the TDLR, told Peter via email. “All bouts are subject to review and approval by TDLR.”
Mange also said it’s “not uncommon” for an event to be scrapped for any number of reasons.
Ariel Helwani said on an episode of The MMA Hour the Texas commission has yet to decide whether or not to sanction the fight. If it does get sanctioned, it will be regarded as a professional bout. If it ends up not being sanctioned, it will be regarded as an exhibition.
Paul’s camp has denied rumors the Paul-Tyson bout will require both fighters to wear headgear and use 18-ounce gloves.
Tyson’s last fight contested under professional rules was in June 2005 when he lost to Kevin McBride. The 57-year-old’s most recent bout was an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. on Nov. 28, 2020.
Paul is 9-1 with six knockouts in 10 professional fights. He also has a TKO win over Deji Olatunji in an exhibition bout.
The Paul vs. Tyson matchup is scheduled to take place on July 20 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It will be the first live boxing event ever streamed live on Netflix.
